Have you ever wanted to be the general manager of an NHL team? Well, now's your chance - sort of.
In this article, we want you to play GM and submit your votes on three mock trades we've crafted. You can vote on which teams you think would say no to our proposals or say "good deal" if you think the trades are fair.
All three of these mock trades involve the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have the potential to unlock some excitement during the dog days of the NHL offseason.
The Penguins are one of the few, if only, true sellers in the league right now. While franchise icons Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang likely aren't going anywhere, everyone else on GM Kyle Dubas' roster is reportedly up for grabs. That includes three established veterans capable of providing playoff-contending teams with a legitimate boost: wingers Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, who are both coming off career years, and three-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson.
*Hurricanes have the option to transfer unprotected 2027 first-round pick if 2026 first-rounder lands in top 10
Why it makes sense for Carolina: Karlsson would be a major upgrade over Gostisbehere. The question the Hurricanes would have to answer is whether the upgrade is worth the acquisition cost. We say yes. Karlsson's ceiling is so much higher, and he would help a power play that ranked 25th in the NHL a year ago and has often gone cold come playoff time. Getting him at $8 million per season for the final two years of his deal would carry little risk.
It's also possible that playing alongside Jaccob Slavin helps some of Karlsson's defensive deficiencies. Slavin has routinely elevated his partners, including Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo, and most recently, Brent Burns. Swapping out Gostisbehere for Karlsson would also give the Hurricanes perfect lefty-righty harmony on the backend. K'Andre Miller could anchor a second pair with Jalen Chatfield, while rookie Alexander Nikishin could be brought in slowly on the third pair with Sean Walker.
Why it makes sense for Pittsburgh: The first-round pick doesn't project to be very high, as Carolina is a legitimate Cup contender, but it's still a first-rounder. The Penguins could also flip Gostisbehere, who's under contract for two more years at a team-friendly $3.2-million cap hit, for additional assets. Unger Sörum, a 5-foot-11 winger, is a slick playmaker with potential, even though he struggled as a rookie in the AHL last season.
*Red Wings have the option to transfer unprotected 2027 first-round pick if 2026 first-rounder lands in top 10
Why it makes sense for Detroit: The Red Wings need to take some swings if they're going to snap their nine-year playoff drought. Getting involved in the Karlsson sweepstakes would make sense, but if they can't work out a deal, Rust would be a nice consolation prize. The Pontiac, Michigan, native would provide the Red Wings with the additional top-six winger they're lacking, giving them a legitimately deep crop of forwards. Detroit's farm system is rich enough that it should be OK parting with a first-round pick for immediate help. Rust, 33, is under contract for three more years at $5.125-million annually.
Why it makes sense for Pittsburgh: Even if this first-round pick transfers to 2027, it could be decently high if the Red Wings continue on their mediocre trajectory. Berggren is also an intriguing, young player who could benefit from the increased playing time he'd likely receive for the rebuilding Penguins. Wallinder, the No. 32 pick in 2020, has yet to crack the NHL, but there's still hope for the 6-foot-4 defenseman.
While Rust doesn't have any trade protection, the Penguins would likely want to do right by a player who helped them win two Stanley Cups, and sending Rust to his hometown team is a move he'd likely be pleased with.
*Canucks have the option to transfer unprotected 2027 first-round pick if 2026 first-rounder lands in top 10
Why it makes sense for Vancouver: Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford wasn't in Pittsburgh when the team added Rakell, but general manager Patrik Allvin was still with the Penguins organization at the time, so there's some familiarity there. While he's not the center the Canucks have been searching for, adding a legitimate top-six winger to a forward group that severely lacks high-end talent outside of Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser would be a good start. Rakell, 32, is a physical two-way winger under contract for three more years with a $5-million cap hit. He'd be a massive upgrade over Hoglander, who scored just eight goals last year and is under contract for three more years at $3 million annually.
Why it makes sense for Pittsburgh: Hoglander is still just 24 years old and one season removed from a 24-goal campaign. Although that season could prove to be an outlier in his career, Hoglander is the type of young player the Penguins should be willing to take a gamble on. Maybe he could regain his prior form playing alongside Crosby or Malkin? Kudryavtsev, meanwhile, is a developmental success story for the Canucks, cracking the NHL last year despite being a seventh-round pick in 2022. The 5-foot-11 defenseman also played his junior hockey with the Soo Greyhounds, a program Dubas has ties to.
Want to have your own mock trade analyzed and featured in a future article on theScore? Submit your proposals to @JoshWegman_ on X or [email protected].
