Penguins Names Rise on Frank Seravalli’s Latest Trade Board, With Novak, Rakell and Rust Listed

What happened is straightforward, but the implications can be broad for a team in NHL roster-building mode. NHL insider Frank Seravalli released an updated trade board for Hockey 24/7, and three Pittsburgh Penguins were among the players featured on it. The players named were Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust. The reporting framed them as part of a group that could be discussed in trade conversations this offseason.

Trade boards are not transactions themselves. They are more like a shortlist of names that an insider believes are plausible targets for other teams, based on the kind of roster and contract situations that tend to generate movement in the NHL. Still, the inclusion of three Penguins from different lineup roles suggests Pittsburgh management and the league’s trade market could overlap more than usual this summer.

Seravalli’s decision to list both younger and more established pieces matters because it points to multiple ways a team can reshape its roster. Novak’s name on the board, for instance, keeps attention on Pittsburgh’s ability to evaluate and potentially leverage cost-controlled or team-situated talent. Rakell and Rust, meanwhile, bring the kind of veteran presence that often attracts teams seeking more immediate depth and stability down the lineup.

For the Penguins, the practical question is not only whether any of these players are “available,” but what trade conversations would accomplish. Teams do not move a veteran or a developing piece unless the return fits a specific purpose, such as adding a different type of forward, acquiring a roster player who better matches a team’s style, or addressing organizational balance for the next season.

The fact that all three names are mentioned together also changes how opponents may view Pittsburgh’s next steps. Instead of treating Pittsburgh as a team that might only consider piecemeal changes, a multi-name trade board raises the likelihood that at least one meaningful roster decision could be discussed. That could range from swapping one forward for another to building around internal players while changing salary distribution.

At the same time, this is rumor territory and should be treated as such. The reporting does not confirm a specific trade, a specific destination, or any deadline for decisions. It also does not identify which Penguins might be most likely to move, or whether any listed player is more central to the team’s long-term plans than the others.

What to watch next is whether Pittsburgh’s internal offseason planning aligns with what a trade board implies. In the days and weeks ahead, attention will shift to credible follow-up reporting that ties these names to actual trade talks, along with any team announcements or league activity that would suggest movement is nearing. Until then, Novak, Rakell and Rust remain the headline names of a broader “could be available” discussion.

In the NHL, offseason uncertainty is often a feature, not a bug. Trade boards like Seravalli’s can be a roadmap to where the market thinks the flexibility is. For Pittsburgh, having three forwards highlighted at once is a reminder that the Penguins’ offseason may not just be about minor adjustments. It may be about choosing the right combination of forward talent to set the tone for the coming season.