The Penguins begin their rebuild by pulling off trade with rival Capitals

This just in, the Pittsburgh Penguins have traded veteran forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 3rd round pick and a 4th round pick.

Eller, of course, spent seven season with the Capitals from 2016 until 2022, winning a Stanley Cup in 2018.

Read below for our earlier report (published yesterday evening) on the Penguins and the growing speculation that the team may move on from captain Sidney Crosby.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got absolutely wrecked this evening.

The Penguins dropped a 7-1 decision to the Dallas Stars this evening, in a game that was a disastrous from the outset for home team Penguins. The Pens were down 6-0 to the Stars after the first period and then proceeded to limp through the remaining 2/3rd of the game. 

The Penguins are now 6-9-2 on the season and are a league worst -21 in goal differential. They simply can't keep the puck out of their net and they're not skilled enough to out-score their defensive issues. The Penguins' two leading scorers are 38 year old Evgeni Malkin and 37 year old Sidney Crosby, which is no slight to the two Hall of Famers but a successful team is rarely carried offensively by players in their late 30's. And while we're on the topic of age, the team's two top blue liners are 37 year old Kris Letang and 34 year old Erik Karlsson. All of this is to say that the Penguins are as old as dirt.

It's painfully obvious to a majority of hockey fans that the Penguins are in desperate need of an overhaul and a rebuild.

Nearly every move that GM Kyle Dubas has made has been a mistake (Sound familiar Leafs fans?) and time is running out to save this team's season. There are rumors that long-time head coach Mike Sullivan is on thin ice, which is entirely predictable. The Penguins would probably be wise to part with Sullivan at this point, but they shouldn't stop there.

Most Penguins fans online seem to agree that a full-scale, tear it all down rebuild is necessary to get the team back to prominence. All the team is accomplishing now is playing out the credits of Malkin's, Crosby's and Letang's careers. There's a growing sentiment amongst the teams' fanbase to rip the bandaid off of this oozing wound of a team and to begin the healing process in earnest. A Sullivan firing would be just the start. These fans are also calling for Malkin, Letang, Karlsson and... gasp!... Sidney Crosby to be put on the trade-block.

Spittin' Chiclets hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette both weighed in on the Penguins this evening and Biz in particular got everyone online riled up.

So... Crosby to the Colorado Avalanche? I could see it working on the ice, but I think the business logistics would make it difficult. The Avs are tight to the salary cap and Crosby makes $8.7 million against the cap for the next two years. I'd love to see it though.

My dark horse pick for a Crosby trade: The Washington Capitals. Imagine that.