The most chaotic time of the NHL regular season has finally arrived, as the trade deadline is just one week away on Mar. 6.
And even though the Pittsburgh Penguins have already made several moves this season, they figure to have a bit more up their sleeve.
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After their 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday, the Penguins remain in second in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and tied points-wise with the New York Islanders at 73. Even if the team is in a good position now, they have the league’s toughest strength of schedule remaining for the regular season, and they will be forced to make it through most of it without their best player in center Sidney Crosby, who is expected to miss three more weeks with a lower-body injury.
So, given their predicament – and their apparent reluctance to shift Evgeni Malkin back to the center position – it may be in their best interest to either call up a center from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), such as Tristan Broz or Filip Hallander, or explore the trade market for some viable options.
Here are five possible center options for the Penguins to target via trade:
Shane Wright
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The young center for the Seattle Kraken has failed to establish consistency at the NHL level so far, and it seems that his value has decreased a bit.
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Even though the Kraken may not be keen to sell lower on Wright, they do have some up-and-coming center depth in their organization – namely Jake O’Brien – and they may be able to get some value in return. As of January, the Kraken were, apparently, looking for a scorer in return, so this might be a situation where a an established NHL player could go the other way – someone like a Justin Brazeau or an Anthony Mantha, even a Rickard Rakell for the right return package.
Seattle is currently in the West’s second wild card spot, so they, too, are fighting for a playoff position. It remains to be seen how the team approaches the deadline or if Wright is even on their trade board.
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Brayden Schenn
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Schenn, 34, doesn’t really fit the mold of “younger players with term” that Dubas and the Penguins would want to acquire. He is also 34, owed $6.5 million for two more seasons, and has seen a steep drop in production this season, registering just 12 goals and 24 points in 59 games so far this season.
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But, this could be a situation where the Penguins might be able to buy low on Schenn from the struggling St. Louis Blues, and, potentially, even add to their draft cupboard. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to get Schenn for nothing, and there is some inherent risk attached.
However, his playoff experience, two-way prowess, and knack for not shying away from physicality could suit the Penguins well down the stretch, especially without Crosby. Plus, it provides an opportunity for rookie Ben Kindel to get elevated in the lineup without repercussion, as Schenn is a good, reliable third-line center option.
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Dawson Mercer
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Mercer could be an intriguing name to keep an eye on, as the New Jersey Devils are, unexpectedly, in legitimate contention for a lottery spot this season.
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The 24-year-old center has 13 goals and 30 points in 60 games this season, and he, like Wright, is the exact kind of player the Penguins and Dubas would be interested in, if available. In fact, he probably would fit the mold of the player archetype Dubas tends to gravitate toward as well, as he is a high-IQ playmaker with excellent vision, a 200-ft game, positional versatility, and a potential higher ceiling in terms of production.
The cost would likely be fairly high, and there’s no guarantee that the Devils’ 18th overall pick in 2020 is even on the market for sure – even if GM Tom Fitzegerald expressed that he is ready to shake things up with the roster. But, if he is, the Penguins should be calling on the forward who is signed at $4 million through the end of next season.
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Vincent Trocheck
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Ah, the Pittsburgh kid. It’s no secret that the New York Rangers are shifting to a rebuild, and they will surely be looking to shed some of their veteran players, making Trocheck one of the top options on the trade market.
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Trocheck, 32, is signed through the end of the 2028-29 season at $5.625 million average annual value, which makes his contract a bit hefty to take on. Still, the veteran center is just about as good a third-line center option out there, and his 12 goals and 38 points in 45 games would certainly help with the Penguins’ offensive attack.
However, even if he could help the Penguins this season, his lengthy contract and age don’t really fit into the Penguins’ future plans, and his is likely to come at a premium. There are probably options that make better sense on the market, but if – for whatever reason – he can be had at a low cost, it may be worth it.
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Elias Pettersson
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Yep, Pettersson’s name is here yet again, and – at this point – it should come as no surprise. But with the Vancouver Canucks in the basement of the league by a longshot, it’s likely that GM Patrick Allvin will be in a position to sell.
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The 27-year-old center – not long ago, one of the league’s very best – has fallen off a bit the last two seasons, with only 13 goals and 35 points in 51 games so far in 2025-26. His $11.6 million cap hit through 2029-30 seems daunting, but the Penguins certainly have the cap space, and he might be the perfect example of an underperforming elite player who is long overdue for a change of scenery.
Because of his cap hit and his decline in production for two consecutive seasons, the Penguins may be able to buy low here. If the price is right, Pettersson should absolutely be considered – especially since when, at his best, the fifth overall pick in 2017 is one of the elite playmaking centers in the NHL and has a pretty nasty weapon in his shot, too, as a three-time 30-goal scorer.
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