Penguins Urged to Target Mason McTavish in Trade as Kyle Dubas Eyes Future Core

While many believe the Pittsburgh Penguins are ready to tear things down completely for a rebuild, there is a world in which Kyle Dubas can keep rebuilding while also adding NHL ready talent.

In terms of young, NHL ready talent that is possibly available this off-season, there are none with more potential than former No. 3 overall pick Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks.

The 22-year old comes into this off-season on the back of a career best 52 points in 2024/25, as he now has 140 points in 229 NHL games, and with the Ducks not willing to give him a long-term deal yet, Dubas and the Penguins could strike.

McTavish is exactly what the Penguins have been searching for, as he could play alongside Sidney Crosby for a while before transitioning back to centre to potentially replace the captain long-term, or the team could take a chance and make him their 2C immediately, moving Evgeni Malkin to the wing.

While McTavish has been solid in his NHL career thus far, the Ducks seem hesitant to extend him despite playing a gritty two-way game with 17, 19 and 22 goals in his career thus far, and with 229 games under his belt at just 22-years of age, he fits the timeline this team are looking for.

One comparison that has emerged for McTavish is Ryan O'Reilly, and while that doesn't project him to be a star on the level of Sidney Crosby, it's safe to say that the Penguins would absolutely love to get their hands on a player of that caliber.

Ultimately, Dubas has done a great job adding talent like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen to the NHL in the past 12 months, and if he could land McTavish in exchange for a veteran and a draft pick, it would be no-brainer for the future of this organization.