The Colorado Avalanche shook the hockey world on Friday when they dealt pending unrestricted free agent superstar Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the biggest blockbuster trades of the cap era. With the trade floodgates being opened, it might be the time to start keeping an eye on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With the Pittsburgh Penguins finding themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas has to decide who to keep and let go.

Even if the Penguins go on an outrageous hot streak, I still fully anticipate Dubas to sell at the deadline. He knows what he has to do. He’s not in this to grab the second wild card and lose in the first round. Dubas’ vision is much more grand than that. The problem is that fans might need to find some patience.

Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas denied speculation about a fire sale, but how many of their top players could be traded?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are digging themselves into a deeper hole game after game. Even with franchise pieces Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin playing out of their minds, the team can’t find a way out of the league’s basement.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has dismissed rumors suggesting the team is "looking for a fire sale" ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Addressing the speculation straightforwardly, Dubas ruled out such an idea and outlined the franchise's strategy for as long as the current core of veterans can produce and contend for titles.