Rickard Rakell has a pretty good reason for skipping out on suiting up for Sweden in the ongoing International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championship tournament, primarily staged in his home country.
His wife, Emmeli, just gave birth to their second child, Ziggy, late last month.
Fatherly duties outweigh duties to one’s country.
“I feel really good right now,” the Pittsburgh Penguins winger said April 18. “But we’re expecting a baby here pretty soon. It’s going to be difficult for me to get over in time.”
Rakell largely had a good time throughout the 2024-25 season, even if the Penguins missed the playoffs.
Coming off a difficult 2023-24 season in which he labored through a right shoulder injury, Rakell rebounded remarkably well this season by setting career highs in goals (35) and points (70) while nearly playing in every game (81).
Power play goal for Pittsburgh!
Scored by Rickard Rakell with 05:24 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by Bryan Rust and Ville Koivunen.
Chicago: 2
Pittsburgh: 1#PITvsCHI#Blackhawks#LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/wjxBZ5CDiF— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 7, 2025
Rakell even managed to suit up for Sweden during the 4 Nations Face-Off exhibition tournament in February.
“Obviously, it means a lot to me,” Rakell said of his success. “It was really tough after last year. For myself, bouncing back and having a good season, it meant a lot. Even though I wish we were still playing right now, I’m pretty excited to go back to work at home and then just try to do everything I can to be better next year.”
There was some question, at least externally, if Rakell would finish the year with the Penguins. And those questions persist as the team enters an offseason rife with change.
Rakell will be entering the fourth year of a six-year contract that contains a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a list of eight teams he would not accept a trade to.
Even with that slight measure of job security, the notion of trading a 32-year-old coming off a career year isn’t without merit for a franchise trying to restock its pool of younger assets.
At the trade deadline March 7, president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas suggested Rakell is part of the team’s future plans, at least in the short term.
“You have to do what’s right for the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Dubas said. “And for us, having Rickard Rakell as part of the Pittsburgh Penguins was definitely the right thing to do as we measured it up against everything. We’re happy to have him, he’s a big part of what we do and I know he really wants to be here.”
Rakell reiterated his desire to remain in place during the team’s season-ending interviews.
“Already at the trade deadline, I said I wanted to stay,” Rakell said. “I want to be part of this team. I want to be part of it (returning) back in the playoffs and win something here. I love my teammates here. I really want to stay.”
The Penguins were eliminated from postseason contention fairly early (April 6), but Rakell feels the team’s malfunctions are correctable and that a return to the playoffs is within reach.
“You’re looking at playing in our defensive zone, that’s probably an area where we can look to improve,” Rakell said. “Then just consistency in our games. We could have grabbed more points over time. Shootouts, those one points extra mean a lot at the end of the year.
“Even though we didn’t end up in the standings where we wanted to, we showed that we can beat any team in this league. It was our consistency throughout the season that we didn’t really have. But I think everybody in this room felt — and still feels — that we can play with any team.”