It’s official. The Penguins have, indeed, acquired scoring forward Rickard Rakell from Anaheim today.
Rakell, 28, has scored 154 goals in 550 games over his 10-year NHL career, spent entirely with the Ducks. The native of Sundbyberg, Sweden, was at his best from 2016-18 when he tallied 33 and 34 goals over a two-season span.
Although his numbers sagged the past few seasons along with the Ducks’ fortunes, dipping to nine goals in 52 games last season, the 6’1”, 195-pounder’s experienced a resurgence this season, netting 16 goals and 28 points in 51 games.
In terms of style, Rakell’s said to be a lot like Kasperi Kapanen…or at least who Kappy is supposed to be. Right-hand shot who can play either wing, dangerous off the rush, shoot-first mentality, good puck support, needs a playmaking center to get the most out of his abilities. Presumably he’ll skate alongside Evgeni Malkin in the ‘Burgh.
The price? The Pens gave up a second-round pick, goaltending prospect Calle Clang and forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik Simon. I think we’ll come to miss ZAR and his solid defensive work and physical bent. A shame he couldn’t score more. Not to down Simon…he worked his tail off and was good at driving possession…but it was time to move on.
In the final season of a six-year deal, Rakell’s cap hit is $3.79 million…a bit over the combined cap hits of ZAR and Simon ($2.475 million). The Ducks are retaining 35 percent of Rakell’s salary to keep the ledger balanced.
My take? We’re a better team following the trade. Yet another job well done by GM Ron Hextall.
Rick & The Other Rick
A couple of observations on the trade. First I would like to think the acquisition of Rakell was to protect from
losing both Rust & Kappy in the off-season. Second I would also hope that Rakell’s agent and Ron
Hextall had a conversation about the possibility of him signing with the Pens before making the trade.
IMO this was a another good trade by Hextall. We traded from strength (goalie prospect) and a 2nd
round pick in this years draft, Neither ZAR or Simon fit into the Pens long term plans. Rick, ZAR did lead
the team in hits but i never really looked at him as a player who was making a physical impact and
the Pens have numerous players on the roster capable of killing penalties. GO PENS
Hey Mike,
I was hoping the same thing about Hextall and Rakell, that the team has some level of contract discussion before the trade but even as we typed on the other thread, I got a text from someone with PIT (airport) connections that is telling me that our Pens flew Rakell in on the cheap, no specialized treatment befitting someone that they wanted to establish a good relationship with.
I sure hope this info is wrong and that the team is going to go all in to try and sign him longer term so that we didn’t just throw away more assets.
Rick & The Other Rick
Thank you Ron Hextall. ZAR gone from the lineup “AMEN” and Simon is a definite bonus – I never thought
Sullivan would agree to him being traded “Double Amen”.
I still wish we would of addressed the toughness issue but it still beats going into the playoffs with ZAR
and Simon in the lineup.
On another note I always hoped Billy Guerin would replace JR as the Pens GM. He’s doing work in Minny
and it won’t be long before their making a run at the Cup. He understands how to structure his team to
have playoff success. Still a year or two away but they’re coming. GO PENS
Hey Mike,
Not upset with Hextall, particularly after getting rid of Simon but I agree, I was hoping for Guerin to get the GM spot.
Hey Mike,
Agree 100 percent about Guerin. With the acquisition of Deslauriers, he made a heavy team even heavier. And getting Fleury…
The Wild are going to be a very tough out.
Rick
Hey Phil,
I feel a little bad. At the beginning of the season, you mentioned that you couldn’t wait to read my play-by-play recaps of all Simon’s goals this season. He only notched 3 and now is gone.
What is worse is that on my home tonight, I stopped at the Good Wine and Spirits store and got some Champaign. There is a celebration going on in my house tonight. My only fear is that some moron will put Simon back in Sully’s tool box again next season.
Hey Rick,
I agree, sort of.
Look back to your last post, I mentioned the only trade I wouldn’t mind would be any trade removing Simon and ZAR from Sullivan’s tool box – Precognition on my part? – maybe – maybe Hextall read my comment. Probably just luck.
I do think the team got a little better in the short run. just by getting rid of Simon and ZAR. Hopefully Rakell will provide some scoring umph – I can’t see him scoring less than Simon and ZAR combined. However, remember everyone thought Zucker was going to be a boon, but he was a bust.
Defensively, I honestly don’t think the loss of ZAR will hurt either. His TGA/60 5on5 is not that much lower than Kapanen’s, but Kappy’s TGF/60 5on5 was much higher.
My only problem is that I still don’t see this team going that far. The same coach that kept on insisting on playing Simon is still running the team. With Rakell a UFA at season’s end – a rental, Hextall may have just damaged the future a little more. Simon and ZAR are UFA as well and as long as Hextall refused to resign them, the team would have been roughly in the same position for next season but with a 2nd round pick and Clang still assets. If Rakell doesn’t resign, they now go into next season weaker.
Clang may be a player. I have watched some of his highlights. He doesn’t track the puck as well as Blomqvist but has better upside than DeSmith, D’Orio, and Domingue.