As free agency opens Tuesday, Kyle Dubas isn’t looking to hand out roster spots to young players by default—but he also doesn’t intend to block their path.

Instead, Dubas plans to add players who will push the organization’s top prospects, creating real competition heading into training camp.

"We want these guys to earn it," Dubas said at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday. "So, if we start just handing the guys spots, we're going to very quickly lose what I think the Penguins have been about for a very long time. ... We're not going to block them out, but they're going to have to prove that they can be here, and they're going to have to earn their way here."

For that reason, the Penguins likely won't be in on many big names when the signing period opens at noon tomorrow. Dubas said that he won't be "in on" players who will get long-range deals, and salary upwards of $5 million. He doesn't expect to sign players in their 30s.

"It just doesn't fit at all with what we're going to do," Dubas said. "We'll stay away from those."

Dubas said that what they are looking for in free agency is players on two- or three-year deals who can come in and earn a real opportunity, with he potential to "be a long-term part of what we're trying to do here."

They also intend on looking into restricted free agents on the market who they could acquire through a trade or an offer sheet, and potentially offer those players long-term deals, since restricted free agents by nature are younger players and have the possibility to be a part of the long-term solution in getting back into contention.

Dubas also acknowledged that they've "got lots of trade conversations on the go for all different types of players."

Asked specifically about the future of Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson, Dubas said that he's learned a lot about what the free agent market will be like "because of the calls we get on our veteran guys, of teams saying that the market is nuts."

Dubas pointed to Rust specifically, and said that they'll "continue to be open for business, but the price will be very high" because of the value Rust brings to the Penguins.

"He's been a part of the team for the 15 years since he was drafted," Dubas said of Rust. "So unless it's something that blows us away in terms of what it returns, that it can very easily be looked at to help us return to contention, that'd be a tough one. We've got lots of calls on him. He's a great player, signed, but he's also a massive member of the Penguins."

It's all shaping up to be a relatively quiet opening day of free agency for the Penguins. Sure, trades of current rostered players are possible, but they aren't going to rush into anything just for the sake of change. They're going to sign players, but not any of the flashy, big-name unrestricted free agents. They might go after a number of restricted free agents, but the offer sheet or trade process in order to bring in any of those guys is one that likely won't be done in a day.

The lack of interest in the big free agents, coupled with the possibility of trading players like Rust and Rakell, suggests that Dubas isn't too concerned with contending for much of anything next season. The moves they'll make will be ones aimed at building long-term, sustained success in the future. A key part of that will be striking a balance between creating competition that will push their young players to be at their best, while also making sure it's possible for young players to get those NHL roster spots if they really do earn them.