Avalanche rival reportedly interested in trading for Penguins star forward
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The Colorado Avalanche's divisional rival, the Minnesota Wild, are reportedly showing strong interest in pursuing a trade for Pittsburgh Penguins star forward.
Despite adding veteran defenseman Jack Johnson on a professional tryout (PTO), the Minnesota Wild are reportedly continuing to explore additional moves.
Avalanche reportedly closing in on a deal with Rickard Rakell.
Matt Levine from Athlon Sports writes that the Penguins are actively exploring the trade market with the goal of securing future assets and injecting youth into their lineup. With the team firmly heading into a rebuild, management has begun discussions with other clubs about moving some of their veteran players.
"One of those is wing Rickard Rakell, who has seen his name be placed in all sorts of rumors of late. Rakell could be a strong addition for any team, and it does seem like the Penguins could move him before the season starts." -Levine
Bleacher Report's Adam Gretz recently highlighted potential landing spots for Rakell, with the Minnesota Wild appearing on his list. Given their situation and needs, the Wild make sense as a logical partner for the Penguins to consider.
«The Wild kind of fizzled in the second half last season, but a lot of that was due to some significant injuries at both forward and defense. When they were healthy in the first half of the season, they were one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They have the potential to be that again with better health luck." -Gretz
The Wild boast a deep prospect pool that could tempt the Penguins into striking a deal. Such a move would allow Pittsburgh to secure valuable future assets, while Minnesota adds one of the more skilled forwards on the market this summer.
"Rakell is coming off a career-high season with the Penguins that saw him post 35 goals and 35 assists over 81 games played. His skill set could be very useful for the Wild as they try to take that next step in the Western Conference." -Levine
Slotting Rakell alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi could give Minnesota one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the NHL. With his game continuing to improve as his career progresses, the Wild might prove to be the ideal destination for him.
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