Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Pittsburgh Penguins trade deadline plans dissected by insider Matt Vensel on new podcast
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Matt Vensel jumps on the Penguins podcast, and the trade deadline chatter suddenly feels real for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He’s on the PG Sports Now Penguins podcast to hit the season’s biggest surprises and where the front office could lean next.
That matters more in 2025-26 because Pittsburgh sits 29-15-12 and right in the Metro race.
Sidney Crosby has driven a lot of that, sitting at 27-32-59 through 56 games.
The power play has been a weapon too, hovering around 25.9 percent, so the “buy or sell” debate isn’t just noise.
Vensel’s value is the way he filters hype, then lands on the roster spots that actually swing a deadline.
Right now, the NHL calendar is weird, with the Olympic break stretching through late February.
Matt Vensel and the Pittsburgh Penguins deadline dilemma
As a fan, this is the exact moment I start doom-scrolling cap math and convincing myself one smart add fixes everything.
The Penguins don’t need “a name,” they need the right fit around their stars.
If the team adds, it has to support a lineup where Crosby is still the engine every night.
If the team holds, it has to trust internal growth from the bottom-six and the blue line.
You can even see it in the numbers, with young faces chipping in, like Avery Hayes posting 2 goals in 1 game.
The next game on the schedule is Thursday, Feb. 26 vs. New Jersey, so the conversation has a runway.
That’s why Vensel still knows puck, he keeps it grounded in what actually translates when the games tighten up.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Brandon Hagel’s Sidney Crosby quote says everything about Team Canada captain
Brandon Hagel’s Sidney Crosby quote says everything about Team Canada captain
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 12|158 ANSWERS Pittsburgh Penguins trade deadline plans dissected by insider Matt Vensel on new podcast Should the Pittsburgh Penguins be buyers at the 2026 trade deadline with Sidney Crosby rolling? | ||
| Yes | 118 | 74.7 % |
| No | 40 | 25.3 % |
| List of polls | ||