The Pittsburgh Penguins are in danger of missing the postseason for the second straight year for the first time in Sidney Crosby’s career, with the captain still without a new contract when his 12-year deal expires next summer.
The Penguins have one of the oldest roster depths in the National Hockey League, but they have several veterans who are no longer prominent, including Noel Acciari and Lars Eller, who became redundant with the additions of Kevin Hayes and Cody Glass on the trade market and Anthony Beauvillier and Blake Lizotte in free agency.
“It seems like a trade for Noel Acciari and Lars Eller could potentially provide more draft picks and free up space for a young player like Vasily Ponomarev to make the leap to the NHL,” Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingorski wrote last weekend.
“Maybe NHL GMs need to look at Akiari’s reckless play on the wing, rather than his trade value as a modest centre, to boost his trade value. Akiari’s trade value is low-key but has had a definite impact. There should be some value in the errors, but he’s 35, so maybe a bit lower than at the 2023 NHL trade deadline when the Washington Capitals get back a 2025 second-round pick.”
Both Acciari and Eller had tough years, with the former managing just seven points in 55 games while the latter had 31 points in 82 games.
Kyle Dubas is clearly in it for the long haul, especially with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris LeTang and Bryan Rust all in the twilight years of their careers, and at some point the team has to let the younger guys play.
The Penguins must make room for younger players.
James Guillory – USA TODAY Sports
To fill out their young roster, Kinguski wrote that the Penguins could waive a player like Glass, whom they acquired from the Nashville Predators.
“But having a multi-million-dollar veteran in the AHL has financial implications for the organization and salary cap implications. The ‘saved salary’ deduction is capped at $1.15 million in 2024-25.”
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That leaves the trade market as a good option for a player like Akiari or Eller, and it could free up space for a player like Ponomarev, who was acquired by the Carolina Hurricanes as a second-round pick in the trade that sent Jake Guenzel to Raleigh. He played in 39 games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves last year and had 29 points.
Ville Koivunen was also sent to Pennsylvania in the trade, but the 21-year-old had a great season in the Finnish Elite League in 2023-24, scoring 22 goals and 56 points in 59 games, and could be ready to join the NHL.
While everyone in Pittsburgh has their eyes on Crosby’s next contract (and rightfully so, as age doesn’t seem to be slowing down the perennial superstar), it’s becoming abundantly clear that a rebuild is on the way.
And for that to happen, it may require the departure of some ineffective veterans to allow younger players to earn roster spots beyond 2024-25.