The Eastern Conference has been like the Wild West this season (yes, I’ve been playing a lot of Red Dead Redemption 2 lately). With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers out of a playoff spot, that’s left a huge power vacuum in the Atlantic Division, while the Metropolitan Division is wide open, like always.

Sitting second in the Metro Division at the Olympic break are the Penguins. In the twilight of Crosby’s and Evgeni Malkin’s careers, the Penguins are in an odd spot as they’re in win-now mode while also trying to build for the future. They are also in a position to buy ahead of the Mar. 6th trade deadline.

Let’s take a look at the Penguins’ needs, their cap situation, and what they’d have to offer in a hypothetical trade with the Calgary Flames.

Penguins’ needs and cap situation

Heading into the season, it looked as if the Penguins weren’t going to be anywhere near a playoff spot, so they weren’t anywhere near the salary cap. Well, fast forward to the end of February, and they have about $11.151 million in projected cap space, or over $41 million in trade deadline cap space thanks to accumulating cap space all season. They’re one of just a few teams that could make a big swing this trade deadline with needing retention or needing to send money back.

But the question is, do the Flames have a player who could fit the Penguins? One area that the Penguins don’t need is a top four right-shot defenceman, which basically excludes MacKenzie Weegar, unless he’s to play on his off-hand. Right-shot defenceman Zach Whitecloud makes a bit more sense, as he’s a defensively responsible third-pairing defenceman with a cheap cap hit and term. He’s probably an upgrade over Connor Clifton.

Where they could use some help is up front. According to Daily Faceoff’s line tool, Tommy Novak is their projected second-line centre, with Malkin moving to the wing. Novak is having a better season than Nazem Kadri, and is both younger with a cheaper cap hit. Safe to say Kadri isn’t much of a fit.

As for Blake Coleman, it’s hard to say he’s a fit either. Despite playing up and down the lineup, the veteran winger would have a hard time taking over a younger player’s spot, such as Justin Brazeau, who has 15 goals and 27 points in 42 games this season.

I haven’t mentioned them much in this series, but perhaps Joel Farabee or Morgan Frost could be a better fit for the Penguins, as they’re both in their 20s and would be good bottom six depth scoring for the Penguins. Of course, Ryan Lomberg, who brings Stanley Cup winning experience like Coleman and Kadri, could fit as the Penguins’ 13th forward.

What the Penguins have to offer

Due to being not very good for the past several seasons, the Penguins farm system has developed quite nicely. Ben Kindel was selected 11th overall in the 2025 draft, but he’s not even close to being available for a trade, as he’s been a big part of the Penguins success this season (14 goals and 27 points in 53 games).

Also selected in the first round of last year’s draft was Will Horcoff. I liked Horcoff so much that his draft profile was one of the first I wrote last season despite being projected to go late in the first round. He did, as the Penguins selected him 24th overall, and he blossomed at the University of Michigan, scoring 22 goals and 34 points in 32 games.

Bill Zonnon is another first rounder from 2025, but he’s spent most of his D+1 season injured, scoring 10 goals and 31 points in 25 games with the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

Those are just three prospects, all of whom the Penguins acquired in the first round last draft. They had four other players go in the top 100 in last year’s draft. Daily Faceoff ranked Rutger McGroarty as the Penguins’ top prospect heading into the season, while defenceman Harrison Brunicke is a strong right-shot defenceman who played nine NHL games and could be an NHL’er in the next year or two.

As for their picks, the Penguins have their next three firsts, but two second and third round picks in each of the next three seasons. Sitting in second place, not only are they in good shape this season, but shortly after Crosby’s eventual and saddening retirement, the Penguins are in a good spot to contend once again.

While the Penguins have plenty of pieces that fit the Flames, it isn’t a two-way street unfortunately. That said, this Penguins re-tool is one that the Flames should mimic, even if they lack one of the best players of all-time.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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