​Kyle Dubas mentioned earlier this offseason that if the Pittsburgh Penguins are not able to complete a major, blockbuster move, they might need to focus on rebuilding this thing brick, by boring brick. That can take on a lot of different forms, and one of them for the Penguins under Dubas has been their willingness to take on bad contracts (or just simply helping teams out of their salary cap messes) and getting draft picks for the cost of doing business.Dubas has been moderately successful with that process over the past couple of years.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSome of the examples:In the summer of 2024 he acquired a 2025 second-round pick from the St. Louis Blues for taking on the remainder of Kevin Hayes’ contract. He then traded that pick back to the Blues for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick to allow the Blues to offer sheet Dylan Holloway. It all still turned out to be a net-win for the Penguins, especially since that 2026 second-round pick was one of the main pieces used to acquire Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets.That same offseason he acquired third-and sixth-round picks from the Nashville Predators to take on the remainder of Cody Glass’ contract. Glass was then eventually traded to the New Jersey Devils for another third-round pick (as part of a larger deal that also included John Gruden and some minor league’s coming back to Pittsburgh). They turned Jordan Frasca (who went to Nashville as part of the original Cody Glass trade) into three draft picks, including two third-rounder selections.This past offseason they acquired future second-round picks for taking on the contracts of Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba.During the season they took on a second-round pick to take Sam Girard’s contract from Colorado, while sending Brett Kulak’s expiring deal the other way.These are not all apples-to-apples trades, because in some of them there were other players involved, and perhaps even some hockey layers to it. But it was still a case of the Penguins using their salary cap space to buy draft picks.Given the rising salary cap in the NHL this offseason, there have not been as many teams in salary cap trouble that need that extra relief this summer.The Anaheim Ducks, however, have become one of them.The Leo Carlsson offer sheet, as well as the threat of an offer sheet for defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, has rapidly eaten up most of their salary cap space that existed this offseason, while they still need to get Cutter Gauthier re-signed and figure out ways to upgrade their defense.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe cap space offseason? It is going away. Fast.In future seasons? There is less flexibility.Given that the Ducks have three second-round picks in 2027, it is enough to wonder if maybe there is a chance for the Penguins to add another boring brick if they could help out the Ducks.Would Anaheim be desperate enough to move one of those picks to get the Penguins to take on the contract