During his postseason press conference on Apr. 21, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas provided a glimpse into what the summer could look like for the organization.
He mentioned some potential movement in the trade market as well as interest in the restricted free agent market, and he also specified a glaring area of need for the Penguins.
"I think the left side of our defense has been a problem," Dubas said. "There's just no other way [to put it]. Especially moving [Marcus Pettersson] out to Vancouver in that trade... I think the trade will serve us a great purpose in the future, but it hurts the left side of the defense corps now."
He added: "You can't just wish that all of [their current left defensemen] are going to improve and all move up into 1-2-3, left side of the defense. That's an area, I think, externally, that we have to improve. So, we’ll be on the lookout for that."
The unrestricted free agent market for left defensemen is not the greatest, and the Penguins desperately need to improve the position as urgently as possible, even from a minutes standpoint. With Matt Grzelcyk remaining unsigned and about to hit free agency, there are no current left-side blueliners on their roster who have shown they're capable of playing consistent top-four minutes.
So what can they look for in the trade market? Here are four defensemen Dubas would be well-served to make some calls about.
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Pavel Mintyukov - Anaheim Ducks
Mintyukov, 21, is perhaps the most intriguing option on this list. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks, and on the surface, he seems like a player the Ducks would not want to part ways with.
However, the fact of the matter is that Mintyukov had a disappointing sophomore campaign (five goals, 19 points in 68 games; minus-4) to follow up his excellent rookie season (4-28-63; minus-20), and in a crowded defensive pool of young, talented players, others are simply outperforming him. With the emergence of youngsters Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger, Mintyukov may not have the adequate space or opportunity to further grow and develop his game with the Ducks.
Mintyukov's game is raw, and the defensive side of his game could use some work. But there's no denying the high-upside potential of Anaheim's 10th overall pick in 2022.
If he's even remotely on the market, he's someone worth surrendering that conditional first-round pick from the New York Rangers for.
Bowen Byram - Buffalo Sabres
It was a season of ups and downs for Byram, who completed his first full season with the underachieving Buffalo Sabres in 2024-25. He finished the year with seven goals and 38 points in 82 games to go along with a plus-11.
The productive potential is certainly evident for the 23-year-old blueliner, who is set to become a restricted free agent (RFA). However, the defensive side of his game was shaky at times this season, and his play was inconsistent in a general sense throughout the season.
But he still qualifies as a pretty steady option for a second-pairing defender - with the potential to develop his two-way game more - which is something the Penguins need. With Buffalo at an organizational crossroads, some changes may be on the horizon, and they may be willing to part with Byram's RFA rights if the return meets their asking price.
Realistically, this would probably involve either a prospect and a pick or a swap for a talented rostered player. Buffalo would probably prefer to hold onto him otherwise.
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K'Andre Miller - New York Rangers
When talking about other organizations at a crossroads, it's difficult to leave out the Rangers.
They are a bit cap-strapped. They fired their coach and are on the verge of hiring ex-Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. They missed the postseason one year after winning the President's Trophy. They have an underperforming, aging roster to go along with underperforming youth and not much promise prospect-wise on the horizon.
Miller, 25, is another pending-RFA. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound defenseman - like many of his teammates - had a somewhat forgettable season in blue and red, registering a downward-trending seven goals and 27 points in 74 games and sporting some poor defensive metrics to go along with it.
The Rangers will have some big decisions to make about their roster during the offseason. Even if Miller had a down year, he is still a very capable two-way defenseman with size, and he is a top-four defenseman at his best.
Given the Rangers' cap and roster situation, this is exactly the type of RFA that Dubas should target - especially after the Penguins' GM said that they'll look into RFAs that other teams can't afford to re-sign.
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Mason Lohrei - Boston Bruins
More than likely, the Boston Bruins are on a crash-course destination to tank next season. Their roster was blown up almost entirely over the past year, and they finished at the bottom of the East along with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lohrei, 24, is a pending-RFA and showed high-upside potential offensively this season, putting up five goals and 33 points in 77 games. He is a good puck carrier, skates relatively well for his size, and has some offensive instincts.
But it's hard to ignore the fact that Lohrei was also a minus-43 on the season. Yes, this is plus/minus - but a number that extreme is a bit worrisome. Even though Boston was a mess defensively as a whole, Lohrei certainly was one of the guilty parties, and the Penguins shouldn't surrender the farm for him.
More than likely, the Bruins bring Lohrei back. He played top-four minutes this season and figures to be part of their future. But, if the Bruins are looking for assets - which, they will be - he might be someone they're willing to engage in discussions about. At the right price, he'd be a worthwhile gamble.
Former Bruins Defender Had Career Year With New TeamDuring this past off-season, the Boston Bruins let defenseman Matt Grzelcyk leave in free agency. This was after his placement on the team's depth chart dropped, with him being scratched in 10 out of the
Bruins' 13 playoff games.
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