Has Dubas Done Right by the Penguins (After the Fact)?

Before I begin my ramble, I need to be crystal clear. The seeds for this article, the logic and a great deal of the credit belongs to PenguinPoop colleague Caleb DiNatale. I simply took what he shared with me, put fingertips to keyboard and filled in some of the blanks from our conversation as best I could.

It was Caleb’s assertion (and I totally agree) that Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas was set on acquiring the Stars RFA winger Jason Robertson lock-stock-and-barrel, the same way he was Erik Karlsson back in the summer of 2023. So much so that the flurry of moves he made early this summer were done in anticipation of such a deal.

I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he seemed to overstock us up front, to the extent that he appeared to leave nary a spot for kids like Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes and Ville Koivunen, who remains unsigned by the way.

Then Caleb illuminated and it all made perfect sense. He believes Dubas did so because he intended to send veterans Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust to the Stars as part of the return for Robertson. In the process opening up a prime roster slot.

Indeed, the R ‘n’ R Boys were reported to be part of the initial package, along with a pair of first-round picks.

However, Caleb believes Dallas GM Jim Nill may have thrown Dubas a curve, or a yellow hammer in baseball parlance. Rather than agreeing to Rakell and Rust, he thinks Nill may have demanded one (or more) of our prime prospects in return. We’re talking forwards/2025 first-rounders William Horcoff, Ben Kindel and Bill Zonnon and defenseman Harrison Brunicke.

If true, such a development would’ve no doubt generated considerable angst for Dubas, given how much he coveted Robertson. What we know for sure is that he’s refused to budge on trading the kids, which may have served to kill any deal that was in the works. Leaving the Pens resembling a Frankenstein monster of sorts up front.

Of course, this is all pure conjecture and surmising on my part. We have no way of knowing for sure. But I wonder.

Back to the kids. Dubas seems especially fond of Horcoff. I am, too. A bruising 6’5” power forward with hands who plays with an edge is about as rare around these parts as a Liberty Head Nickel. The kind of player we almost never employ.

“Will showed he can do the most important thing, which is that he can score,” Dubas confided with Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo during a recent interview. “He can score at a very high level.”

Indeed, the son of long-time NHLer Shawn Horcoff potted 25 goals in 40 games as a sophomore at the University of Michigan. Terrific output, considering he played through a banged-up shoulder most of the season. Maintained his mean streak, too (64 PIM).

“He’s a player that puts everything into hockey,” Dubas continued. “He doesn’t need many looks to score… We know he’s going to put the work in. Especially as the pace and the engine continues to grow and expand, we feel that he’s obviously going to be a major impact player.”

High praise, indeed.

Sure glad Horcoff and the other kids weren’t served up as trade fodder, no matter what the potential return.