In case you missed it, the Pittsburgh Penguins are sellers.

They have to be after an abysmal west coast trip saw them net only 2 out of an available 8 points.

After getting shutout in Seattle, blowing a 3-1 third period lead in Calgary, and getting demolished in Edmonton, the writing is on the wall for this year’s iteration of the Pens. It’s over.

As such, there are plenty of names garnering interest in the Pittsburgh organization as Kyle Dubas (and his two phones) are presumably ringing off the hook.

There’s his biggest trade chip in pending unrestricted free agent Jake Guentzel. Rumors and reports have swirled the 29-year old for months, but it seems almost certain that he is gone by Friday at 3pm.

Reilly Smith is another name that is likely destined to be moved. Reports have long stated that he does not want to be here, and whether those were ever true or not, his lack of production, and frankly disengaged body language during games haven’t helped his case.

Still, with a Stanley Cup on his résumé from last season, and a track record of success prior to Pittsburgh, teams will be interested.

Beyond that, it’s a little unclear who else could be moved. Of course, it depends in large part how much Dubas wants to tear down, and what the market is out there for several other players currently on the Penguins.

In an attempt to get away from the typical trade talks surrounding Pittsburgh (specifically Guentzel and Smith), I tried to dig deeper through the Penguins organization to find some names who might have appeal on the deadline market.

Lars Eller

Aside from Alex Nedljkovic, it’s my opinion that Lars Eller has been Dubas’ best free agent signing in Pittsburgh.

Serving as the unofficial welcoming committee this season for the Penguins, Eller has played with 10+ line mates over the year, including several in-season additions to the Penguins like Jesse Puljujärvi, Matthew Phillips, Emil Bemström, and others.

Eller has been the only real source of offense in the bleak bottom six for the Penguins. With 12 goals and 9 assists on the season, he is projected to total 30 points by season’s end, a jump from the 23 he had last season.

Eller is no stranger to the trade deadline. In fact, he was dealt last year at this same time, when the Washington Capitals sent Eller west to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second round pick.

Look, Eller has been great, but he will be 35 years old in May. As much as I and some other fans like him, he does not fit the outline that Dubas has for this team moving forward. He’s under contract for one more year at $2.45 million, but if the market for him is similar to what it was last season, you might have to jump on a deal like that if you’re Dubas.

If Dubas and the front office wants (or believes in) current AHL center Sam Poulin to be a full time NHLer next season, the third line center spot could be where the 2019 first rounder ends up.

The trading of Eller is a bit of a double edged sword. He might be great to help. mentor and assist someone like Poulin (and anyone else in a Poulin-like situation that the Penguins could acquire at the deadline), but he also takes up a spot and $2.45 million against the cap.

There’s no guarantee he will be this good next year, which is also a reason to seek a trade.

My take: I only would trade Eller if the price is right for him. I’d consider it if a second rounder was available like last year, or if I could get a B-level prospect/NHL ready guy that I really liked. I’d definitely be open to moving him, but I’d be picky about what deal to accept, if any.

Chad Ruhwedel

I mentioned this a little in my article the other day, but I’ll mention it again here. For any contending team at the trade deadline, Chad Ruhwedel is a dream pickup.

He’s cheap ($800K), he’s experienced (33 years of age, over 350 games played, 12 years at the NHL level), and he has pedigree (was on the 2017 Stanley Cup winning team in Pittsburgh).

Ruhwedel is one of the more underrated defenseman in the NHL. He is never going to make the highlight reel for a crushing hit, a slick steal, or anything like that. But he is the kind of player who puts his head down and gets to work. He silently does his job on the blue line and generally speaking, he does it well.

That being said, he (ideally) is not a top four defenseman for a contender, and Ruhwedel does not have the big name value and recognition that other defenseman who have been moved/are likely to be moved do.

To me, a potential Ruhwedel trade seems comparable to the Mark Streit trade back in 2017. In looking to acquire experienced depth at defense, the Penguins sent a fourth round pick to Tampa Bay (who had picked him up just hours prior from Philly) in exchange for Streit, at half retained.

Streit, like Ruhwedel, was a pending UFA, but was several years older and also a lot more money/

Retention shouldn’t be necessarily on Ruhwedel, but a return for his services would probably be around that of Streit. Is it worth it?

My take: That fourth round pick ended up being Paul Cotter, who already has 122 NHL games and 42 points to his name, all with the Vegas Golden Knights. If I was certain I could get an identical player from a fourth rounder, I’d make the Ruhwedel trade. But the uncertainty of any pick that late is always high, and for me personally, I don’t see an appeal to trading Ruhwedel unless a team was willing to way overpay. If not, I’ll keep him.

Matt Nieto

I don’t blame you if you don’t know who that is.

Matt Nieto hasn’t played a game since November 30th, and underwent knee surgery in early January. His play was largely forgettable before the injury, with 1 goal and 3 assists in 22 games for the Penguins, and since he has been out of the lineup, he has faded more and more away.

But Nieto is supposed to be back soon. Soon-ish maybe. He’s been practicing recently and looks to be getting closer and closer to game-shape once again.

I understand this one is a bit of a stretch, but I would keep an eye on Nieto getting moved. Not as the center piece of any deal, but as an involved player in a larger deal.

There’s appeal to Nieto if you look through his career. He’s not lighting up the scoresheet, but he’s a reliable 20+ point guy. He’s played a lot of hockey (673 NHL games), and can be deployed in a depth role in the bottom six when injuries start to poke through a lineup.

The 31-year old on the first of a two year deal paying him $900K, so he doesn’t break the bank.

Had he not missed the majority of the season, I would pencil him in for somebody who could fetch a mid to late round pick in return, should the Penguins decide to deal him.

If it happens, and that’s a huge if considering the injury and surgery, that pick would have to be a sixth or seventh.

That’s why I think if he does get moved, it will be as part of a larger deal. Maybe for something like making the money work or contract limits and all that stuff.

Nieto, much like Eller (and Ruhwedel) does not fit the “getting younger” model Dubas wants, and unlike someone like Eller, he hasn’t brought the production or the intangibles to make you question whether he could be an exception.

Could he have if the injury never took place? Maybe. But sadly, that’s just the way the sport goes sometimes.

My take: I’d take anything for Nieto, even if it’s something as small as a seventh rounder. Again, not fully his fault given the injury, but he does not figure into the future plans and his limited action would not suggest going against better judgement. For his sake as well, I think a trade would work well. Anything to get it done.

(Featured photo of Chad Ruhwedel by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)