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Penguins weigh goalie market before March 6 deadline as Stuart Skinner trade talk grows
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Pensburgh's tweet immediately flagged that with Brett Kulak just traded, Stuart Skinner could be next on the Pittsburgh Penguins' trade deadline radar.
The NHL trade deadline is March 6, and Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has already shown a willingness to reshuffle his roster.
Skinner, 27, came to Pittsburgh in a blockbuster December trade that sent Tristan Jarry to Edmonton and brought Skinner, Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick back to the Penguins.
At the time of that deal Skinner's numbers weren't eye-popping (.891 save percentage, 2.83 goals-against average), but he offered a fresh crease option and finals experience.
Still, NHL insiders like Kevin Getzoff and Daily Faceoff chatter suggest Dubas might flip Skinner before the March deadline if he can convert him into future assets.
That buzz comes even as the Penguins sit in the thick of a playoff hunt, which makes such a move far from certain.
Dubas's dilemma is classic rebuild meets compete: keep a reliable starter while pushing for a wild card, or turn him into picks and prospects for a longer rebuild push.
Right now Pittsburgh has a deep goalie pipeline with Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov, and Joel Blomqvist all ready or near-ready.
A Stuart Skinner trade may depend on the youngsters
That depth is what fuels the speculation: if the Penguins believe in those youngsters they could package Skinner for a second- or third-round pick at the deadline.
None of this is locked in yet, but the chatter is real and growing louder with every game as March 6 approaches.
If Pittsburgh keeps Skinner they would likely ride him down the stretch, hoping his experience and last season's Stanley Cup Final runs can stabilize a sometimes leaky defense.
If they move him, it signals a stronger tilt toward future building and confidence that the young netminders can handle NHL workloads.
Either way, the next week will define how serious the Penguins are about balancing today's playoff push with tomorrow's competitiveness.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 27|121 ANSWERS Penguins weigh goalie market before March 6 deadline as Stuart Skinner trade talk grows Should the Pittsburgh Penguins trade Stuart Skinner before the March 6 NHL trade deadline? | ||
| Yes | 51 | 42.1 % |
| No | 70 | 57.9 % |
| List of polls | ||