{"id":945015,"date":"2026-07-19T07:43:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T07:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/945015\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T07:43:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T07:43:12","slug":"fate-keeps-shoving-penguins-avoiding-yzerman-splat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/945015\/","title":{"rendered":"Fate Keeps Shoving Penguins; Avoiding Yzerman Splat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Driving on a long stretch of the hockey highway known as rebuilding, Pittsburgh Penguins <\/a>general manager Kyle Dubas<\/a> has been looking for an exit ramp and shortcuts, but circumstance has kept Dubas driving straight ahead. <\/p>\n

Dubas admittedly didn\u2019t want to keep all of his 2025 draft bounty but ended up making 13 picks and doing quite well, including three first-round picks and three third-rounders. Dubas also said the Penguins\u2019 front office \u201cworked our asses off\u201d to make moves at the 2026 draft, but instead got a package deal of Liam and Markus Ruck that could one day be a marquee draw.<\/p>\n

Dubas keeps pushing for the big move in the form of the big Penguins trade, be it upward in the draft or landing that integral impact player who helps carry the team until the glut of prospects reaches their fullest potential. And circumstance in the form of availability and market pricing keeps pushing Dubas in the opposite direction. <\/p>\n

On a parallel track, now-former Detroit Red Wings<\/a> GM Steve Yzerman stepped down this week after a largely undistinguished seven-year tenure. The Yzer-plan was to rebuild the organization\u2019s prospect pipeline and then advance to Stanley Cup contendership for the long term. <\/p>\n

The latter part of the goal is exactly what Dubas is trying to do with the Penguins. However, Yzerman perpetually proceeded with caution, probably too much, and never made the big trade or the big franchise-altering move. As a result, Yzerman ran out of gas before getting to his destination.<\/p>\n

Obviously, Dubas is not proceeding with the same overly buttoned-up approach, but instead accepting smart moves as they become available. Dubas lost a low-risk gamble on Philip Tomasino, but has won bets on Tommy Novak<\/a>, Cody Glass (who netted a third-round pick in return after a solid season), and Elmer Soderblom. Dubas also appears to have hit a grand slam with his relatively low-cost trade for Egor Chinakhov. <\/p>\n

In fairness, Detroit added useful veterans such as goalie John Gibson<\/a> and goal-scoring winger Alex DeBrincat. Yzerman also had back-to-back draft successes by snagging Moritz Seider (2019) and Lucas Raymond (2020). <\/p>\n

Drafting Axel Sandin-Pellika in 2023 was Yzerman\u2019s other big hit. But like everything else in his tenure, Yzerman didn\u2019t have nearly enough draft success after his pair of top-six picks, and his seven years otherwise produced mediocrity on all levels. <\/p>\n

Conversely, Dubas has accepted market limitations and managed to thrive within them. With just a few drafts, the Penguins spun their 2023 first-rounder (Brayden Yager) for Rutger McGroarty. Their 2024 first-rounder was a central part of acquiring Erik Karlsson, and their 2024 second-rounders Harrison Brunicke and Tanner Howe have real potential. Brunicke is emerging as a potential top-four defenseman. <\/p>\n

Of course, Dubas has a secret weapon in the draft, Wes Clark, whom PHN detailed Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After three years, Dubas is looking for his big move. He acquired Karlsson in his first months on the job, but the situation quickly changed after that trade, and the Penguins have been on the rebuilding path for two-and-a-half years. <\/p>\n

Fortunately for the Penguins, Dubas has been actively trying to avoid the Yzerman trap of not doing enough and always assuming tomorrow would be better. If PHN\u2019s top 20 prospects list showed anything, it\u2019s that the Penguins\u2019 recent draft classes have been pretty good.<\/p>\n

And Dubas pushing for the big move that Detroit never made could become the signature move of his tenure, even if he must wait until next summer to do it. In fact, waiting until mid-season or next summer seems to be the better play, anyway.<\/p>\n

Irony?<\/p>\n

As the Penguins try to avoid something akin to Detroit\u2019s stalled rebuild, fate might also deliver a big slice of irony.<\/p>\n

Now that the conservative Yzerman is out, a new GM will be tasked with moves to rescue their flagging process, and the Penguins have several assets that could help Detroit immediately, while pushing forward the Penguins\u2019 rebuild. <\/p>\n

Rumors to the point of reality indicated the Red Wings were interested in winger Bryan Rust. Rickard Rakell and Karlsson would also seemingly perfectly fit the Red Wings\u2019 style and win-now mentality.<\/p>\n

The new Detroit GM will likely be far more aggressive, which just might create more options for the Penguins\u2019 rebuild\u2013ones that Yzerman didn\u2019t take or didn\u2019t have. <\/p>\n

And that\u2019s irony. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: kyle dubas<\/a> penguins rebuild<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> steve yzerman<\/a> <\/p>\n

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