Could the 26-27 Pittsburgh Penguins Make a Trade for One of the Top Players in the NHL?
After a frustrating season carried by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Edmonton Oilers found themselves out of the playoffs after losing in six games to the Anaheim Ducks. The back-to-back Western Conference Champions struggled with poor goaltending and lackluster defense throughout the season. Through all of this up-and-down play for Edmonton, a common belief around the NHL is that the captain will demand a trade after the 2026-2027 season, before the final year of his contract. Similarly, many believe that Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs has the same mindset and wants out of Toronto. With uncertainty about the future of the ‘Big Three’ with the Penguins, especially Evgeni Malkin, since he is a free agent, it could be the perfect time for Pittsburgh to make a splash and acquire McDavid or Matthews, two of the best forwards in the league. Malkin’s future with the Penguins is the biggest question of the 2026 offseason, at least for fans of the yellow and black. While it’s been made clear that Pens fans want Kyle Dubas, the Penguins' president of hockey operations, to bring the 39-year-old Russian back for one more year, that desire may fade if Dubas were able to acquire the Oilers or Maple Leafs forward.
A McDavid trade is much more likely than one for Matthews, as the 2016 first overall pick signed a large four-year $53 million deal with the Maple Leafs in 2023. That said, reports indicate that both stars would prefer to play for an American team, likely in a smaller market. While Pittsburgh is a fairly large market with a strong hockey following, the trade would make sense. McDavid getting to play a year or two with Crosby, assuming he doesn’t retire, would be a dream come true for him and NHL fans alike. With five Hart Memorial Trophies between the two of them and 32 combined point-per-game seasons, that duo would be electric. Despite buzz from Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York, Josh Yohe from The Athletic still believes Pittsburgh is a possibility. He says, “Do I think either one will ever play in Pittsburgh? No. Is it nice for fans to fantasize about? Sure. Would Pittsburgh be pretty high on both of their lists if a trade materialized? I bet it would, especially for McDavid, who has many close friends in nearby Erie, PA, from his years playing junior hockey there. It’s also only a five-hour drive to his hometown of Toronto. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who wants to play in a huge market, even though he’s from one.”
Pittsburgh proved last season that, even with a focus on the future and youth, it is not a team that rebuilds. They reset, recover, and bounce back with the help of their veterans and their youth. Unlikely as it is, the Pens are in win-now mode, and if that involves a trade for McDavid or Matthews, it may be a likely possibility. With an exciting potential for the young guys on the roster to continue Pittsburgh’s upward trend, this could be an exciting opportunity for McDavid and Matthews to. Yohe speaks on this, as he says, “The Penguins do have some real, young talent on the way, loads of cap space, a good general manager, and a good coach. The Penguins also do right by their superstars.” Young talent and a coach already recognized for his skill, being nominated for coach of the year, has to be enticing for the three-time Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy winner and the six-time Art Ross Trophy winner. A decision will have to be made by the Penguins' new owners: do they want to keep their heads and have Malkin stay for at least one more year, or make a big move and try to land a superstar to bring them home a Stanley Cup?
