Kyle Dubas and Pittsburgh Penguins Miss out on Signing Top Free Agent

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a very interesting position this off-season, as they can go in many different ways depending on their strategy, with some believing they could look to add a veteran and push for a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot next season.

One key free agent they could have targeted for that would have been veteran centre Brock Nelson, who was traded to the Colorado Avalanche at the deadline after spending the entirety of his career with the New York Islanders.

However, despite rumours that he may be looking to test the free agency market, he is now officially re-signing with the team on a three-year extension that may lock him up for the remainder of his career.

While the Penguins never formally talked to Nelson, there was some expectation that the team could look for him to fill their 3C role behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but now, they'll need to look elsewhere for that.

Whether that's a young name via trade (Marco Rossi), a potential offer sheet (Mavrik Bourque, Mason McTavish) or someone from within the organization, there are plenty of options for Pittsburgh as they look to salvage some success in the final years of Sidney Crosby's career.

Regardless of what they end up doing, all we know today is that they have officially lost out on Nelson, who was solid in his time with the Avalanche this season, and now, Kyle Dubas will need to pivot in what could be the most important summer of his career in the NHL thus far.