The Pittsburgh Penguins will certainly be busy this summer, as they are in the market for a new head coach and have 11 picks in the upcoming NHL Draft.
But there is another area they may find themselves quite active in as well.
Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas mentioned some potential interest in the restricted free agent market this summer, specifically for younger players in their earlier 20s who may not be brought back by their current teams for one reason or another. He also mentioned that the Penguins are prepared to move some assets for such players.
Given the Penguins' overflowing draft cupboard - and their abundance of higher-value picks - who are some bigger names on the forward front that they can target?
Here are five RFA forwards for the Penguins to call about, should they be available.
Marco Rossi - Center, Minnesota Wild
We've already covered the situation with Rossi, and for good reason.
The 23-year-old center put up 24 goals and 60 points in his second full NHL season, and he only seems to be getting better and better. Yet the Minnesota Wild don't seem to be interested in keeping him around long-term.
Although Rossi may be undersized at 5-foot-9, 182 pounds, it seems odd that he is, apparently, losing favor with his team because he has two-way, top-six talent. But, if he is available, it's fair to assume that pretty much every team will be interested to a degree.
If Rossi Is Available, Penguins Should Be CallingIt's safe to say that it will be a very interesting summer for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It's hard to say whether or not the Penguins have the right assets to be able to give perceived fair value in return. The Wild are in desperate need of center depth, and - beyond center prospect Tristan Broz - the Penguins don't have much promising center depth in their system.
Then again, if Minnesota needs a center that badly, it's hard to imagine why they don't value Rossi as a center. So, it's possible that the Penguins might be able to put together a package that doesn't have a high-end center or center prospect as the main piece in a package.
Mavrik Bourque - Center, Dallas Stars
Bourque - a first-round pick (30th overall) for the Dallas Stars in 2020 - is certainly one of the more interesting names out there, as the Stars' young forward has yet to really hit his stride at the NHL level.
But the young center is the exact type of the player that the Penguins need.
In 2023-24, Bourque - then 22 years old - registered 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games for the Texas Stars, Dallas's AHL affiliate. He was also a 20-goal scorer in his rookie AHL season in 2022-23. In his rookie season with Dallas this year, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward put up 11 goals and 25 points in 73 games in a somewhat limited role.
Exclusive: For Mavrik Bourque, Patience Is a Necessary VirtueThe Stars 30th overall draft pick in 2020 discusses his early AHL struggles, Logan Stankoven's NHL success, and how he's preparing for his own call-up.
The Stars are an example of a team that will be very limited by the salary cap this summer, and they have a lot of tough decisions to make. Only projected at $5.87 million in cap space right now, they have pending-UFAs in forwards Matt Duchene, Jamie Benn, Evgenii Dadonov, Colin Blackwell. and Mikael Granlund as well as defensemen Cody Ceci, Nils Lundqvist, and Brendan Smith.
Although most of those players are likely to walk, they don't have much wiggle room to keep some of the veterans they would probably like to stick around. Bourque has also been a healthy scratch for most of the playoffs, so if Dallas feels like the "now" is more important for their chances at a Cup, they may elect to keep one of the veterans over him.
If that's the case, the Penguins should be all over that opportunity, as Bourque's finishing ability and high-IQ should translate well to the style the Penguins play.
Will Cuylle - Right Wing, New York Rangers
If the New York Rangers are smart, Will Cuylle, 23, should be their number one priority this summer. In just his second full NHL season, he registered 20 goals and 45 points.
But, like the Stars, it's a bit more complicated than that.
The Blueshirts aren't quite as cap-strapped as the Stars are, but they still have a few tough decisions to make - particularly on their blue line. Left defenseman K'Andre Miller is a pending-RFA - as is Zac Jones and several bottom-six forwards - and if the team is to return to playoff contention next season, they need to make some big changes on that front.
4 Left Defensemen The Penguins Should Target This SummerDuring 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.
If they choose to retain Miller, he is due for a raise on his $3.87 cap hit, and they'll still be best-served to target a legitimate top-four defenseman. If they do, well, they'll only have $8.4 million to work with, per Puckpedia.
Cuylle - currently suiting up for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship - should be part of the Rangers' plan going forward. But if they decide to prioritize reshaping their blue line, don't be surprised if the former second-round pick becomes a cap casualty.
In that case, Pittsburgh should sniff around for a trade-then-sign, as the winger has all the tools to stick in the top-six.
Mason McTavish - Center, Anaheim Ducks
McTavish's name was thrown around a bit a few months ago in trade talks, and there seemed to be some friction between him and former Anaheim Ducks coach Greg Cronin.
With Cronin out of the picture, there's not as much noise around McTavish potentially wanting a change of scenery. In fact, he has expressed his desire to remain with the Ducks, and if the Ducks are smart, he should be the top priority this summer.
But if he is available for one reason or another - especially if he wants a longer-term deal or an AAV figure that Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek isn't willing to meet, as he has mentioned his preference for bridge deals - the Penguins would be wise to consider giving up some high value for him in a trade.
How Coronato's Contract Extension Impacts McTavish's Negotiations with the DucksMason McTavish enters the 2025 offseason as one of two (Lukas Dostal) high-profile restricted free agents (RFAs) on the Anaheim Ducks’ roster.
McTavish - the 22-year-old, 3rd overall pick of the Ducks in 2021 - is already a legitimate second-line center option. He's dangerous on the power play, he's got a heavy shot, he doesn't shy from physicality, he's a menace on the forecheck, and his production is rising year-by-year, as he recorded 22 goals and 52 points in 76 games this season.
The Ducks should - and probably will - keep him around, as they don't have too many promising center prospects on the way. But if contract issues arise, this may be a situation where the Penguins could offer a top forward prospect and the New York Rangers' conditional first and get a very good player in return.
More realistically, however, the Penguins will probably be more interested in one of the Ducks' young defensemen.
Luke Evangelista - Right Wing, Nashville Predators
Although the Nashville Predators are not cap-strapped heading into next season - and retaining Evangelista should be no problem cap-wise - they're in a very compromising place.
It's safe to say that no one could have predicted just how poorly the Nashville Predators' season was going to go. They finished third from the bottom of the league standings with just 68 points, and this was despite a huge 2024 offseason that saw them acquire the likes of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and defenseman Brady Skjei.
On paper, this season shouldn't have happened. But it did, and with all of those guys - plus a few others - locked up long-term, they almost need to completely retool their roster on-the-fly to have any chance at contending in the near-term.
Five Quick Questions with Luke EvangelistaLuke Evangelista sums up his season so far, knows exactly what he'd change about overtime, and is a creature of habit on game days.
Goaltender Juuse Saros had a rough season, but the defense in front of him didn't do any favors. They need a little bit of everything position-wise, and with a lot of high-value draft capital for the next three years - including three first-round picks this year - they should be wheeling and dealing for high-end talent.
This could make Evangelista, 23, a casualty of priorities. He recorded 10 goals and 32 points in 68 games this season - his second full one - which isn't quite enough to warrant anything but a bridge contract but is enough to suggest he could continue to improve. But, given their situation as an organization, they might choose to shoot higher in the trade market.
The former second-round pick wouldn't cost as much as the other options on this list, but he might be a worthwhile gamble as a complementary young piece for the Penguins should he become available.
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