The Pittsburgh Penguins’ massive commitment to Ville Koivunen could eventually force Kyle Dubas to make another decision, and a Justin Brazeau trade may be the cleanest solution.
Pittsburgh signed Koivunen to an eight-year, $32 million contract on Aug. 6, giving a 23-year-old with only 14 NHL points the longest contract on the roster. Koivunen recorded just two goals and seven points in 39 NHL games last season, but his 13 goals and 41 points in 34 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins showed why the organization remains confident in his offensive upside.
The contract makes it increasingly difficult for Pittsburgh to leave Koivunen outside its regular lineup. The Penguins already added Andrei Kuzmenko, Nicholas Robertson, and Hendrix Lapierre this offseason, creating more competition around a forward group that was crowded before Koivunen received his extension.
Someone could eventually get squeezed out. Justin Brazeau stands out as the most logical candidate because trading him would create a roster opening without forcing Pittsburgh to sacrifice one of its more important veterans or younger long-term pieces.
Brazeau Has Enough Value to Create a Real Trade Market
Trading Brazeau would not be about dumping an unwanted contract. His production should actually make him appealing.
Brazeau recorded career highs with 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 64 games last season. He averaged 0.53 points per game despite generally playing bottom-six minutes, giving Pittsburgh useful secondary offense at a modest cost.
His contract strengthens the trade argument. Brazeau is entering the second season of a two-year, $3 million agreement carrying a $1.5 million cap hit. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season.
That combination could interest teams looking for inexpensive scoring depth.
A contender would not have to absorb a significant salary or make a multi-year commitment. Brazeau can play either wing, provide size around the net, and has already demonstrated that he can produce in a limited role. Pittsburgh would also be trading him after the most productive season of his NHL career rather than waiting for his value to potentially decline.
There are reasons to expect some regression. Brazeau’s production slowed after his strong start last season, and injuries disrupted his second half. A recent examination of potential Penguins regression candidates noted that his 17-goal season may be difficult to repeat at the same rate.
That could make this the right moment to explore his market.
Koivunen Needs Brazeau’s Lineup Spot More Than Pittsburgh Needs the Cap Space
The Penguins do not need to move Brazeau for financial reasons. They may need his lineup spot.
A recent Penguins 2026-27 roster projection placed Brazeau on the fourth line but acknowledged that his position was far from secure. Elmer Soderblom could challenge for the same role, while Lapierre, Rutger McGroarty, and Koivunen all need opportunities. The projection was published before Pittsburgh committed eight years to Koivunen.
That extension changes the calculation. Pittsburgh can no longer treat Koivunen as simply another young forward hoping to survive training camp. The organization has already made a significant bet that his American Hockey League (AHL) production will translate into meaningful NHL offense.
I previously argued that the Penguins need a real plan for Koivunen, particularly because his game is unlikely to develop through fourth-line minutes or repeated trips between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The new contract makes that issue even more important.
Koivunen needs top-nine minutes, offensive-zone opportunities, and some power-play usage. Pittsburgh will not learn much about its $32 million investment by playing him eight minutes per night.
Moving Brazeau would not automatically guarantee that role, but it would eliminate one obstacle.
Penguins’ Offseason Additions Have Changed Brazeau’s Role
Brazeau made considerably more sense when Pittsburgh signed him in July 2025. The Penguins gave him a two-year contract after he produced 22 points across 76 games with the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. His size, net-front presence, and inexpensive contract gave Dubas a reasonable bottom-six gamble.
The roster around him looks different one year later.
Kuzmenko gives Pittsburgh another experienced winger. Robertson received a two-year, $6.5 million contract after the Penguins traded a draft pick to acquire him from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lapierre cost Pittsburgh two future draft selections and then signed for two seasons.
Koivunen is now signed through 2033-34. McGroarty still needs an opportunity to establish himself, while Soderblom played well enough after arriving last season to remain in the competition for a bottom-six role.
Brazeau suddenly occupies an unusual position. He is productive enough that Pittsburgh should not want to waive or bury him, but he is not important enough to the long-term roster that his presence should block younger players who require NHL evaluation.
That makes him more expendable than he was when the offseason began.
Trading Brazeau Would Give Dubas Several Options
Pittsburgh should not trade Brazeau simply to remove a player from the roster. There needs to be value coming back.
His inexpensive contract and recent production could allow Dubas to pursue a future draft selection, a younger player at another position, or use Brazeau as part of a larger package. The Penguins do not desperately need another late-round pick, but accumulating additional assets would remain consistent with the roster transition Dubas has managed over the past several seasons.
The club could also look for help elsewhere on the roster. Pittsburgh has substantially more forward options than open NHL jobs, while questions remain on defense and in goal. Using excess depth at one position to address another would make more sense than allowing several forwards to compete for jobs that do not actually exist.
There is also no requirement that a deal happen immediately. Training camp could resolve the situation naturally. Injuries may create openings, and Koivunen still has to demonstrate that his NHL performance deserves a regular role. Dubas should not trade a useful 17-goal forward before seeing whether Koivunen, McGroarty, or Lapierre actually earns Brazeau’s spot.
The Penguins should enter camp willing to make the move if the congestion becomes obvious.
Brazeau Still Has a Case to Stay in Pittsburgh
Moving Brazeau would carry a cost. Seventeen goals from a $1.5 million player is excellent value. Pittsburgh spent years searching for inexpensive depth scoring, and trading away one of the players who finally provided it could create another problem.
Brazeau also brings something several of Pittsburgh’s new forwards do not. His size and willingness to play around the crease give the Penguins a different offensive dimension. The organization does not need an entire bottom six made up of similar skill-first forwards.
His expiring contract also means Pittsburgh has little long-term risk in keeping him. If Koivunen struggles or another winger gets injured, Brazeau provides proven NHL insurance.
The Penguins should therefore avoid treating a trade as inevitable. The argument is that Brazeau has become the most logical player to move if Pittsburgh decides somebody has to go.
That distinction matters.
Koivunen Extension Forces Penguins to Choose Their Priorities
Pittsburgh has spent the offseason creating competition. Koivunen’s contract means that competition eventually has to produce winners and losers.
The Penguins did not guarantee $32 million to Koivunen so he could remain behind every established forward on the depth chart. His 41 points in 34 AHL games suggest there is little left for him to prove at that level, while his seven points in 39 NHL games make a larger NHL sample essential to determining whether the gamble works.
Brazeau represents the easiest place to create that opportunity. He is entering the final year of his contract. He carries only a $1.5 million cap hit. He just produced 17 goals. Those qualities make him useful to Pittsburgh, but they also make him one of the few expendable forwards who could possess legitimate trade value.
Dubas should not give Brazeau away simply because the depth chart is crowded. If another team is willing to pay for what Brazeau provided last season, however, Pittsburgh should listen.
The Penguins just made it clear that Koivunen is part of their long-term future. Their next roster move may need to make sure there is actually room for him to play.
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