- The Penguins have joined the list of teams eyeing Kraken center Shane Wright
- Josh Yohe of The Athletic says Kyle Dubas and the front office are “intrigued” by the young center
- Read below for the fit, the connections in Pittsburgh, and the price hurdle
The Penguins are the newest team sniffing around Shane Wright.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic took a fan question Monday about whether Pittsburgh had any interest in the Kraken center. His answer turned heads.
“In the past week, two different sources in the Penguins’ organization, who spoke anonymously because they do not have permission to discuss the subject publicly, told me that general manager Kyle Dubas and the front office are intrigued by Wright,” Yohe wrote. “And really, why wouldn’t they be? He checks every box.”
Seattle has spent the summer working to move Wright, who requested a trade earlier this offseason. General manager Jason Botterill agreed to find him a new home. Vancouver sits at the top of the player’s wish list, but the Kraken’s asking price scared the Canucks off.
Wright is a reclamation bet at this point. The fourth overall pick from 2022 put up 19 goals and 44 points in 2024-25, then dropped to 12 goals and 27 points across 74 games last season. He is still 22, still under team control, and still carries the pedigree that made him a top prospect.
The fit in Pittsburgh writes itself. Sidney Crosby is 38 and Evgeni Malkin turns 40 this month, and Dubas has been hunting for a young center to anchor the next core.
There is also a familiarity angle. Pittsburgh has brought in several people who worked with Wright during his junior days with the Kingston Frontenacs, so the front office has a clear read on exactly what it would be getting.
The catch is the cost. Yohe cautioned that Seattle’s price could land higher than the Penguins want to pay, and the Kraken already priced Vancouver out of the conversation once.
Take a look at what Wright can do when it clicks:
Dubas has the young pieces Seattle covets. Meeting the Kraken’s number is where the Penguins have to decide how badly they want him.
