Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas stated that the club is working urgently to acquire as many draft picks and prospects as possible to integrate with the experienced core, including Sidney Crosby.
This approach differs from traditional rebuilding, where teams trade veterans for draft picks, endure several losing seasons for higher picks, and rebuild around the drafted core.
The Penguins succeeded with this strategy in the early 1980s and from 2003 to 2006, acquiring stars like Mario Lemieux, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jordan Staal.
However, the Florida Panthers followed a different path. Despite years of struggles, their rise wasn’t fueled by top draft picks. After missing the playoffs for three straight seasons, they didn’t hold a fire sale for picks. Instead, Florida has three homegrown players and relied heavily on trades and free agency to build their team. Notable acquisitions include Sergei Bobrovsky, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, and Carter Verhaege.
Florida’s blue line is also cost-effective, with Ekblad at $7.5 million, Forsling at $5.75 million, and Montour at $3.5 million, all earning significantly less than their Penguins counterparts.
While Bobrovsky’s $70 million contract initially seemed problematic, his performance has improved as the team has gotten better, making him a key asset.
The Panthers ended their playoff drought in 2021, advanced in 2022, and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2023. Now, they are poised for success in 2024.
The question remains: Can the Penguins replicate Florida’s success and return to the top during Crosby’s career? Dubas aims to balance winning now with future building, unlike former GM Ron Hextall. Dubas has made promising moves, such as acquiring Erik Karlsson and Michael Bunting, but the process might still take time, potentially outlasting Crosby’s tenure.
Zito has shown that strategic trades and free-agent bargains can accelerate the rebuilding process. However, the Penguins lack the veterans needed to acquire high-value picks.
The next two weeks will reveal Dubas’s full plan, but another path remains an option for the Penguins.
