CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Rumors have been flying in recent days about Jason Robertson and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Several team sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect private information, told me that president/general manager Kyle Dubas has discussed a potential deal with the Dallas Stars. I reported last season that Dubas possessed a keen interest in Robertson, the 26-year-old forward whom Dubas views as one of hockey’s best pure goal scorers.

Dubas has long wanted to acquire Robertson. He felt similarly about star defenseman Erik Karlsson and landed him in Pittsburgh a few summers ago after trying to do the same in Toronto.

Robertson was not willing to play in Seattle, but the Penguins believe the winger would be willing to play in Pittsburgh.

Team sources said Dallas is more interested in Pittsburgh’s young assets than its veterans. Dubas admitted last weekend that he tried tirelessly to move up in the draft. By several accounts, he also tried to make quite a splash by landing Robertson. It didn’t happen, but Dubas is not giving up. This could all be for nothing, of course, if Dallas can sign the restricted free agent to a long-term deal.

As long as a trade is possible, though, Dubas is likely to keep trying to make it work. Though he is extremely reluctant to deal too many young assets — the organization had next to no prospects when Dubas took over in 2023, and he’s done strong work building the system — Dubas is willing to make a dent in his system to land a young player of Robertson’s caliber.

Who are the top five NHL players to hit free agency?

Here’s what else I’m hearing:

Why trade Parker Wotherspoon?

The Wotherspoon trade, on the surface, seems like a curious move.

Wotherspoon was a key member of the Penguins last season and works cheaply. Karlsson played the best hockey of his Penguins career while skating with the 28-year-old defenseman.

So, why did it happen? I asked a few people in the organization.

For one, the trade wasn’t about next season. It was about the future. Dubas liked that, in 25-year-old Kaedan Korczak, he might have found a young, legitimate third-pairing, right-hand defenseman at $3.25 million annually.

That number could look like peanuts when the salary cap explodes during the next couple of years.

Meanwhile, Wotherspoon did indeed have a low salary of $1 million a year, but he is likely due for a considerable raise after this season, when he’ll be about to turn 30. Dubas would rather pay Korczak $3.25 million for the duration of his salary than pay Wotherspoon more like $4 million to $5 million annually in his 30s.

The Penguins like Wotherspoon, but team sources say he slowed down in the second half of last season. This wasn’t an easy move for Dubas to make because he likes Wotherspoon, but it was a move looking toward the future.

Crowded right-side defense

As things currently stand, there is no place for Harrison Brunicke on the right side of the blue line. If Karlsson, Kris Letang and Korczak are on the roster come September, there is every reason to believe they will make up the right side.

The Penguins believe Brunicke, who has performed well in past training camps, is close to being NHL-ready. However, they’re not against the idea of him starting next season in AHL Wilkes-Barre before making his way to Pittsburgh at some point.

What to expect in free agency

Dubas made his feelings clear about this free-agent class last weekend, laughing when I asked if he’d be more active on the market than anticipated because he hasn’t been able to pull off a trade.

So, don’t expect him to go full Oprah and throw money at everyone.

However, don’t be surprised if he does more than he suggested that he would. Dubas essentially said the same things about the market last June, too, but that didn’t stop him from signing Wotherspoon, Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau on July 1.

Though the Penguins could fill some lineup spots by promoting players from Wilkes-Barre and by making trades into the summer, I’ll still be surprised if Dubas doesn’t add a player or two in unrestricted free agency.

The Wotherspoon trade and expected departures of Ryan Shea, Mantha and Noel Acciari have left the Penguins thin for next season. They have considerable money to spend. Expect at least a couple of short-term deals.

Keep an eye on Pierce Mbuyi

I will caution everyone that making too much of this week’s development camp can be dangerous.

For example, many people left that camp last summer unimpressed by Ben Kindel. And you know how that turned out.

I will tell you this much, though: The Penguins are excited about everyone in this draft, as they feel they executed their plan to search for top-end skill over size well. There is legitimate excitement about Liam and Markus Ruck, even though they’re probably two or three years from being NHL-ready.

There is one other person that everyone I speak with in the organization is excited about. His name is Pierce Mbuyi.

The Penguins genuinely did not expect him to still be available in the third round. Though Mbuyi is undersized, the Penguins love his skill, hockey IQ and competitive spirit. They think they got a steal.

Time will tell, of course, but this is as excited as I’ve heard people about a third-round pick in a long time.

Ruck twins

We’ll see how the Ruck twins develop over the next couple of years. Their skills are noticeable. So, too, are the slight frames that will require additional work to survive an NHL season.

You know what else is evident? Charisma. If these guys can play well in the NHL, their jerseys will sell very well.

There appears to be a lot to like.

Schedule release

The NHL schedule will be released on July 16. While the schedule isn’t set in stone and last-minute changes are common, an NHL source confirmed the Penguins are expected to open the 2026-27 season at the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on banner-raising night, Sept. 29, in Raleigh, N.C.

That would mark the third time Carolina has hosted the Penguins in its home opener, including the first home game in Hurricanes’ history, a 4-3 Penguins win on Oct. 3, 1997.

The Penguins have already released their preseason schedule, which begins Sept. 21 with a home game against the Buffalo Sabres. Each NHL team will play only four preseason games.