Insider gives the latest update on trade rumors surrounding Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell

The Pittsburgh Penguins remain in a dogfight for the Stanley Cup Playoffs leaving many wondering what their plans are for the trade deadline.

To begin the season fans and analysts expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to be bottom feeders and thus be sellers at the trade deadline.

However, an unexpected surge to begin the season has the Penguins in the race with the team considering going all-in for the playoff run.

According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet the unexpected success has caused Kyle Dubas and the Penguins to change their mindset towards trading veterans Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.

According to Kypreos, the Penguins now consider a trade involving Rust or Rakell much more difficult considering where the team is in the standings.

The Penguins of course are hoping to give Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin one more Stanley Cup final run and keeping Rust and Rakell will help make that goal a reality.

Both Rakell and Rust have become not only key pieces in the lineup for the Penguins but the locker room as well providing veteran presence in a lineup full of players who have playoff experience and aspirations going forward.

This means that unless the Penguins implode in the back half of the season Kyle Dubas and the front office are more likely to operate as buyers rather than sellers.

As the deadline approaches and more information is made available we will pass along all of the latest details.

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