The NHL’s trade deadline Friday was different for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It wasn’t like the previous two seasons, when the Penguins operated as sellers — jettisoning big parts of the roster such as Jake Guentzel or contributors such as Anthony Beauvillier — for the sake of building to the future.
And it certainly wasn’t anything similar to the halcyon days of red meat trades that brought in superstars along the lines of Marian Hossa or even a Derrick Brassard in hopes of pursuing a Stanley Cup championship.
It was a fairly mundane day at the office for Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas, whose only trade Friday garnered reserve forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a third-round draft pick in this year’s draft that was originally property of the San Jose Sharks.
That ho-hum bit of activity was reflective of at least three things.
First, confidence in how the current roster is constructed as the Penguins seek a return to the postseason for the first time since 2022.
Second, an adherence to a long-term course to achieve something far grander than simply participating in a playoff game. There was seemingly little sense in dealing away a future asset such a draft pick or prospect for a veteran who might sign elsewhere after this season.
Finally, and perhaps most profoundly, Dubas already has made some major trades in crafting this roster throughout the course of the season, accruing the likes of goaltender Stuart Skinner and forward Egor Chinakhov.
“Trade deadline, people always want mass action,” Dubas said Friday in Cranberry after the deadline expired at 3 p.m. “But throughout the year, we’ve added throughout the course of the season Chinakhov, now Soderblom, Ilya Solovyov, Sam Girard and Stuart Skinner to the mix.
“Obviously, the mix has worked quite well.”
At 31-17-13, the Penguins have 75 points and entered Friday in second place of the Metropolitan Division.
Entering the season, there was little anticipation, externally, at least, that they would be a postseason contender. And the outright expectation was that this team would be sellers on a day such as Friday, particularly as it pertained to 30-something veterans such as Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson.
No such thing happened Friday.
“I feel like there’s always going to be rumors and stuff,” Rakell said. “There are so many things happening around you. You just try to treat it as normally as you can, but, obviously, it’s better at this time of year with where we are in the standings and how we feel about our team.”
Dubas offered thoughts on a variety of topics regarding his team:
• Short of trading for another former Hart Trophy winner or moving the franchise to Kansas City, perhaps no subject looms over the Penguins more than the contractual status of superstar forward Evgeni Malkin, a pending restricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
On Saturday, Malkin told reporters in New York that discussions for a contract extension would be tabled until after the season.
Dubas was asked what apprehension he has over potentially signing a veteran who, while still productive, will be 40 in July and has dealt with a persistent shoulder injury this season, particularly against the context of trying to craft a younger organization.
“In the end, we have to do what’s best for the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Dubas said. “With players that get to that point in age … it’s not always as simple. And, at certain times, you may feel one way as a player, and then, as you go through the year, you may feel differently. So, we’ve communicated with (Malkin’s agent, J.P. Barry). We’ve communicated with (Malkin). (And Malkin has), obviously, communicated with the public, which is his right. He’s earned that.
“But I don’t think it serves, as much as everyone in the room and, perhaps, the public would like me to comment on it further, I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the Penguins for me to do so. It’s all been communicated to (Malkin) and J.P. We’ll just continue those conversations with them and continue doing what’s best for the team.”
• What was the appeal of the 6-foot-8, 252-pound Soderblom, a 24-year-old who has scored only three points (two goals, one assist) in 39 games this season?
“We’ve identified (him) throughout the year as someone that fits the age group that we’re trying to bring in. He’s got a contract for this year, next year is signed and then he’s a restricted free agent after that. So, he’s got another year of team control beyond. He fits a prototype that we really don’t have in our prospect pool, and he’s a very tall human being.
“His skating has continued to improve. … The things that have stood out with him this year have been the ability to forecheck, get in on the forecheck, disrupt pucks and win pucks back. For us, that’s one thing that we identified. … Being able to add a little bit more of that throughout the lineup would be good.”
There was no immediate word if Soderblom would be available for Saturday’s home game against the Boston Bruins.
• Dubas indicated rookie forward Ville Koivunen will be recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in the near future but was short on specifics.
• Skinner and Arturs Silovs will remain the goaltending duo on the NHL roster for the foreseeable future.
There was plenty of speculation Skinner could be dealt given that he is a pending unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason, while promising prospects Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov continue to thrive with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of movement on that front,” Dubas said. “But we had confidence in the two guys up top, and then we have confidence in both guys down below, both Sergei and Joel. They both continue to play well. … We’re happy with that and feel we have the good depth there.)
Wheeling Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier was signed to an NHL contract for the remainder of the season to give the organization five goaltenders on NHL deals. He opened the season on an AHL contract.
• Things remain uncertain with rookie forward Filip Hallander, currently designated to injured reserve because of a blood clot in an unspecified leg that has sidelined him since early November.
Dubas was asked if there as any clarity on his status.
“We’ve continued to talk to (team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas),” Dubas said. “He’s got more appointments scheduled here today and tomorrow. The best way to handle it would be, from our perspective, is to give a full update (later). I think everyone knows the situation is a blood clot. Everyone knows … how careful we have to be with it when you come back from that type of injury. He’s a young guy with a family. We have to be extraordinarily sensitive and careful. Dr. Vyas and the medical staff have handled it as well as you can. Once we get through these next couple of appointments, we’ll offer a more robust update and keep everybody in the loop of what his status is.”
• Finally, Dubas spoke at length about the NHL’s seemingly uncertain or unspecified rules as it pertains to goaltender interference.
This season, the Penguins are 0 for 7 on coach’s challenges — under the guidance of video coach Maddison Nikkel — for goaltending interference.
“I’ll first say that I think the job that the people in the hockey (operations for the NHL) is very difficult. I have a massive amount of respect for them. I think they’re terrific. They’ve all been around the game a long time. Players in their roles and it’s a great group.
“For me, frustrated? Yeah.
“(Thursday) night, in our game, (Buffalo Sabres forward) Josh Doan goes into the crease on his own, contacts Silovs on his own, blocker and pad, and then the rebound comes. We have a guy on top of our goalie, so what’s the defenseman’s reaction? It’s split second. It’s bang-bang. It’s not like there was time elapsed in between it. The puck goes in right off the rebound.
“Then the (Columbus-Florida game) last night, they have one where Provorov pushes Boqvist into the goalie, holds him in there, their goalie spins around, is outside of the blue (paint) and that one is overturned. Ours counts.
“So, the frustration stems for me in the fact that our guys in that room watch every one of these, they break them down, they bust their ass every single day. The head video coach is an Olympic gold medal video coach. It puts them in a really tough spot because it’s just tough to know. So, what’s the direction? And I have to give it in my role.
Josh Norris bangs in a rebound on the PP, 2-1. Pittsburgh challenged for goaltender interference but got denied. #LetsGoBuffalo#Sabrehood#LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/BHHs37Tikv
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) March 6, 2026
“And when it comes to a situation like last night, the team works their ass off, almost kill off the five-minute penalty, we’re right there, that happens, I thought for sure that was going to be no goal. I thought Doan went in, on his own, contacted the goaltender. Did (Letang) touch him after? Yeah, he touched him, but barely. And when it stayed up, I was shocked.”
“Usually, I understand it. I get hot about a lot of things, that’s not one of them. Yesterday, I think it’s the accumulation and the not knowing makes it really difficult and it puts a gigantic amount of pressure — gigantic amount of pressure — on that staff that busts their ass every day and are amongst the best at what they do.”
“I’ve never had a huge issue with goalie interference. I think I’m probably at my wits’ end with it and it’s tough to give direction to the staff. In terms of the impact on the games themselves, I think the game in New York, we would be up 2-0, two minutes in the game. Changes the course of that game. Presumably, we would be up 3-0 at the start of the second (period) and we lost, 3-2. So, we lose by a goal. Last night, the team is working their ass off. That goal, obviously that counted. They go back on the power play and it changes the course of the game.
“When you’re fighting tooth and nail and the team is putting every single thing they can to try to accrue points, get into the playoffs, all those small decisions have such a massive impact. Not only on people’s jobs, people’s livelihood, the fans, the fanbase, so on and so forth.”
“So, it’s frustrating, yeah.”