Edmonton Oilers

Penguins’ Wingers Could Be Ideal Trade Targets for Oilers

Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust make a lot of sense for the Edmonton Oilers.

by
Jackson Weber
July 8, 2026

The Edmonton Oilers have had a pretty successful offseason thus far, though if there is one area they would still like to address and upgrade, it would be the top six, specifically a top-six winger.

They’ve been looking for that for some time now, and while there are several intriguing options still available in free agency and on the trade market, none make as much sense as Pittsburgh Penguins wingers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.

Rakell has already been connected to the Oilers by insider David Pagnotta, and while the same can’t be said for Rust just yet, Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation believes either one would be an ideal pickup for GM Stan Bowman.

Yaremchuk said:

“There are names out there on the trade market that I think this team should seriously be looking at. I look at the two guys in Pittsburgh, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust… but if those guys are truly on the market, I think Stan Bowman should be calling. Neither of them are egregious cap hits, both of them come with a little bit of term, and both of them have the potential to score 30 goals. So I’d be really intrigued with one of those two guys out of Pittsburgh if Stan could find a way to make that work,”

The 33-year-old Rakell has two years remaining on the six-year, $30 million contract extension he signed with the Penguins in 2022, while Rust, 34, also has two years left on the six-year, $30.75 million deal he signed to remain in Pittsburgh in 2022.

Rickard Rakell Bryan Rust Penguins trade talk

Rakell and Rust would both absolutely fit in Edmonton, as consistent 50-60-plus-point wingers who have proven they can play very well with superstar talent throughout their time with the Penguins.

Slotting either next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl would round out the Oilers’ forward group quite nicely, and given their age, it shouldn’t come at too exorbitant a cost to make it happen.

Some may be wary of trading for a player pushing their mid-thirties, but we know Edmonton is all-in to win right now. Because of that, Rakell and Rust for the next two years are about as good of top-six winger targets as the Oilers are going to find given their wants and needs.

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