The rehabilitation of Rakell’s image

Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images What a difference a year makes.

In 2023-24, Rickard Rakell only scored 15 goals in 70 games. He was limited after an injury and endured one of his worst seasons of his career. He was on the wrong side of 30 and his contract with a $5.0 million cap hit through 2028 was turning more and more into what appeared to be a burden for the Penguins.

As such, the Swedish representatives didn’t name Rakell to their 4 Nations team, even after he turned the page on 2023-24 and got off to a fairly impressive start for 2024-25. Patric Hornqvist, one of those involved, admitted that the team put a lot of stock in the previous unimpressive season when…