Trade Buzz Erupts Around Penguins GM Kyle Dubas After Latest Comments

The Penguins' forward group is suddenly getting crowded, and it's not an accident. One day after letting Philip Tomasino go unqualified, Pittsburgh re-signed him to an increase on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Kyle Dubas brought Anthony Mantha aboard, another skilled winger in search of a bounce-back.

The Penguins now have more top-six-type forwards than they have top-six spots available, and the writing on the wall is clear: trades are coming.

According to NHL insider Josh Yohe, Dubas said he'd be active on the trade market, and Yohe reports that indeed seems to be what's taking place as early as today.

The Penguins appear to be positioning themselves for trades for veterans like Rickard Rakell or perhaps Bryan Rust.

Although Rakell being supplanted by Tomasino or Mantha might appear to be a downgrade on paper, Dubas is not playing for short-term wins. His strategy is more of a slow-burn setup for substantial trades.

Rather than signing first and addressing holes, Dubas turned it around. He already signed Justin Brazeau, re-signed Tomasino, and now brought in Mantha, adding depth before the roster reshuffling truly begins.

One domino remaining to drop: Nikolaj Ehlers. A number of insiders suggest his choice is coming at any moment now. After he signs, teams that miss out may turn right back to Dubas for trades.

The Penguins GM is playing the long game, and his hand is going to be called.