Does Rickard Rakell expect to return to Penguins next season?
Rickard Rakell spent the past two months living alone.
Speaking earlier this week, he was eager to get back to his wife — and not just because of relative newlywed bliss. Married last year, Emmeli and Rickard are expecting their first child.
“I am really excited about that,” Rakell said Tuesday, two days after playing the final game of the season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. “We still have a little bit over a month to go — probably. I haven’t seen my wife in a long time, so I do look forward to seeing her.”
But if Rakell’s wife and infant son or daughter join him for the start of training camp in advance of his 11th NHL season this fall, where would they be accompanying him?
A member of the Anaheim Ducks organization for more than a decade, Rakell joined a new organization for the first time when he was traded to the Penguins for a second-round pick and three players March 21.
The Swede’s growing family could move to another new city soon. Barring an 11th-hour contract extension, Rakell is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in July.
“I haven’t talked to anyone here about it,” said Rakell, whose postseason was limited to two games because of a head injury suffered in Game 1 of the Penguins’ series against the New York Rangers. “I know this organization has a lot of free agents to take care of, and I think in my situation I am just going to see what happens. I haven’t put that much thought into it yet. I am sure I am going to take some time to think about it. But this is definitely a place and a team I would really want to come back to.”
Rakell had four goals and nine assists over 19 games to close the regular season for the Penguins. That allowed him to reach the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time over the past five full NHL seasons. During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons that were shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, Rakell totaled 24 goals in 117 games.
His quarter-season audition with the Penguins didn’t wow anyone statistically, but the eye test suggests Rakell was a worthy top-six wing capable of playing — and establishing chemistry — with each of the Penguins’ franchise centers, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
The possession metrics (as measured by naturalstattrick.com) also suggest Rakell thrived: he ranked second among Penguins forwards in ratio of attempted shots relative to their opponents when he was on the ice 5-on-5, third among Penguins forwards in ratio of goals relative to their opponents when he was on the ice 5-on-5, third in team shots on goal rate and second in team scoring chances rate.
“It was a great experience for me,” Rakell said of his tenure with the Penguins. “I think I learned a lot from a lot of great players (and) coaches here. I feel like this team has a lot of potential.”
How about the name of the 1-year-old dog Rickard Rakell, the #Penguins’ newest winger, adopted while in California? Heinz. https://t.co/2zqzpwpyze
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) March 31, 2022
Rakell’s speed and skill fit in well with the aggressive and offensively adept Penguins more than it did in recent years with the Ducks, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2018.
After making an average of $2.46 million per season on his expiring contract, Rakell would seem to be a good fit to re-sign with the Penguins. But with so many unknowns across the organization, nothing is certain.
Rakell is one of four top-six forwards who are scheduled to become a free agent (Malkin and wing Bryan Rust are unrestricted; wing Kasperi Kapanen is restricted). Top defenseman Kris Letang and other forward lineup regulars Evan Rodrigues and Danton Heinen also have expiring contracts.
Add in a new ownership group, and it’s difficult to predict what course Penguins management will chart in embarking on offseason personnel decisions.
Rakell, though, doesn’t sound as if he’s eager to close any doors.
“This is definitely a place I would like to come back to,” he said, “and (a place) where I can take my game to the next level, as well.”
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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