Rickard Rakell is in a very different position today than he was roughly 11 months ago.

He knows he’s not going anywhere by the time the NHL’s trade deadline rolls around in just under two weeks on March 3.

But March 21, 2022, his future was far from certain.

As a pending unrestricted free agent on an Anaheim Ducks team that was going nowhere fast, he was one of the most coveted players on the market at last season’s trade deadline. And there was no shortage of rumors on potential destinations.

His ultimate destination was Pittsburgh.

“I knew it was inevitable,” Rakell said. “But you’re just hoping that you’re going to go to a good team, a good organization. Somewhere you fit in nicely.”

Rakell has fit in nicely since joining the Penguins nearly a year ago. And given he signed a six-year contract extension in July that contains a modified no-trade clause, he presumably won’t have to worry about finding another fit for several seasons.

Not every player on his roster or around the league can say that in the upcoming days. There is a surplus of baseless rumors and a deficit of sound reporting, particularly as the trade deadline approaches.

Lists of NHL scouts at NHL games are often posted on Twitter — as if the notion of NHL scouts scouting NHL games is a revolutionary concept — and treated like Rosetta Stones in trying to find a connection between Player A and Team B.

Media outlets post rootless stories and are often rewarded by a fan simply clicking on it because it has a headline friendly for SEO (search engine optimization) purposes.

As for the players, they aren’t oblivious to what time of year it is.

But dwelling on it offers little benefit.

“It’s an inevitable part of the business, right?” said forward Jason Zucker, whom the Penguins acquired via trade with the Minnesota Wild in February 2020. “At some point, throughout everybody’s career — except for a handful of guys — we have all worried about the deadline at some point. Always had a little bit of a thought in their mind about it. But you can’t let it consume you. It’s just one of those things, it’s part of the business. You’ve got to keep playing.”

The Penguins have eight games to play before the trade deadline, beginning with a vital road contest against the Metropolitan Division rival New York Islanders on Friday.

“We have so much else to think about,” Rakell said. “A lot of games in a short amount of time here. You read a lot of things. But I don’t put a lot of energy into it right now.”

From a leaguewide perspective, players certainly pay attention. In addition to being participants in the NHL, they are fans to some degree as well.

So, when All-Stars such as forwards Bo Horvat and Vladimir Tarasenko were acquired by the Islanders and New York Rangers, respectively, in recent weeks, the Metropolitan Division rival Penguins certainly were intrigued.

“Those are all teams that we are fighting against,” Rakell said. “I guess it will show if it’s a smart move on their side to kind of start early acquiring a couple of really high-end players to make that extra push. It’s up to our group right now to have a good response and show that this is the group that we think can go far.”

Right now, the Penguins have holes among their bottom-six forwards and little salary cap space to address it. There are plenty of rumors about who might be going where and in exchange for whom.

In a warped fashion, playing games — the primary purpose of any NHL player — is a diversion.

“I’ve been through it before when there’s a lot of talk,” said defenseman Marcus Pettersson, himself acquired in a trade with the Ducks in December 2018. “You try not to think about it. It’s an exciting time to play, obviously. Everybody is battling for a playoff spot right now. Every game is so important.”

Given the self-imposed expectation of contending for the Stanley Cup that has been in place for more than a decade and a half, the Penguins have traditionally been active at the trade deadline. It’s anyone’s guess — and that’s largely what it is in the absence of reporting — as to how or if their roster will look different after 3 p.m. March 3.

“It’s part of the business,” goaltender Casey DeSmith said. “Obviously, nobody knows — ever — what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s probably not worthwhile to think about it. At least that’s the way I look at it. I don’t think about it. If it happens to me, it happens to me. But I don’t think getting anxious and worrying about it does anyone any good. I just try not to think about it.”

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