This summer will mark the third year of the Kyle Dubas era in Pittsburgh. After two seasons that saw him take wildly different approaches to construction, this offseason has already seen the most change.

After Mike Sullivan and the team parted ways, the longtime Penguins coach was replaced by Dan Muse, a first-time NHL head coach who has a résumé of developing young talent.

The rumblings of a youth wave are already starting to form, with Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen in prime position to take full time NHL jobs next season.

As for the veterans, several of the more established players could serve as trade pieces to further the rebuild process. In a market where not a ton of teams are selling, the Penguins appear open for business. In the forward group, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are going to garner a lot of interest.

But the one that the Penguins are probably more keen on moving is blue liner Erik Karlsson. Two years after Dubas swung a massive deal to bring Karlsson in, the plan for him just didn’t work.

The Penguins are only further away from a playoff spot, and a 35-year-old Karlsson doesn’t do much for them. A trade this summer is likely.

But why didn’t the Karlsson deal work out for him and the Penguins? Before we dive into my theory, we have to set the stage for why the trade to Pittsburgh happened.