Insider Reveals Shocking Asking Price at Deadline for Penguins Forward Rickard Rakell

The Pittsburgh Penguins made huge deadline deals, but the focus was on acquiring future assets.

One of their most valuable trade chips, however, Rickard Rakell, did not change hands despite considerable speculation that he would be traded for a huge return.

Everyone was anticipating him to be involved in the Penguins' deadline scheme, but that was not meant to be.

Pittsburgh's GM Kyle Dubas wanted a top prospect from teams, along with two first-round draft picks, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reports.

Now we understand why a deal never came together. The 31-year-old winger's asking price was too steep, Seravalli reveals. It was so steep that any general manager agreeing to those terms would be heavily criticized.

This is the same return the Carolina Hurricanes got on a trade for Mikko Rantanen, who came back with highly touted prospect Logan Stankoven and two first-rounders. But Rakell is not in the same class of player as Rantanen.

In his 13-year NHL career, Rakell has hit over 60 points only twice, and his high in any of the past seven seasons was 60.

While he's playing well in 2024-25, with 29 goals and 56 points in 66 games, his career body of work does not justify such an expensive trade package.

This can only mean one thing, which is that Kyle Dubas really didn't want to trade Rakell, and so he set the bar so high that no trade would actually materialize. No logical GM would pay that price.

Because Rakell is contractually obligated for a couple of more years, the Penguins can attempt again to trade him during the off-season.

Of course, unless they lower their expectations significantly, it's difficult to see another team paying such a steep asking price.