There wasn’t much hesitation in Ron Hextall today as he met with the media, explaining to reporters including Chris Johnston of TSN that he would be “surprised” if they didn’t sign Kris Letang to an extension. Hextall hopes to have it done by the time they leave Montreal, where the hockey world is congregating for tomorrow’s draft.
On Evgeni Malkin, the team’s other franchise icon closing in on unrestricted free agency, Hextall said they are “still working” but didn’t share any other details.
Letang, 35, is still an extremely effective player and is actually coming off the best offensive season of his career. With 68 points in 78 games, racking up a career-best 171 hits, and still averaging close to 26 minutes a night, he finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion is arguably more important to the Penguins than Malkin, at least in terms of this current championship window, as there is no internal option to fill the hole that Letang’s departure would leave. The team would have to look outside the organization, and players of his caliber obviously don’t hit the open market very often.
That’s also why a contract for Letang could still have a big number attached to it, meaning a multi-year extension carries quite a bit of risk for the Penguins. The team will be married to this aging core, meaning if he or Sidney Crosby takes a step back in effectiveness, any thought of contending for the Stanley Cup would likely go out the window.
Still, that’s likely the case even if Letang left in free agency, as the Penguins’ results are really tied to Crosby’s career at this point. Pushing in for a player you know and love–and also one who has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh–always did seem like the prudent option, even if it will mean committing lots of money to an aging talent.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Well, that’s good…as I expect the Pittsburgh Penguins to sign Kris Letang.
And then Malkin.
And don’t forget about Jarry. The price of goaltending keeps going up. Lock him down now.
Hextall In denial about the inevitable rebuild that Is closer than you think.
Your own death is “inevitable”. You in a hurry?
A rebuild won’t work when you still have Crosby, Guentzel, Rust, Jarry, Matheson, etc.
What you achieve by pulling the plug now is finishing with some 9th through 12th picks and getting stuck in the mushy middle. Makes no sense.
You ride out the present course until it implodes and then you pick in the top 5 and ACTUALLY rebuild.
It’s not denial. He has a mandate from ownership to keep going for it while Crosby is around and the rebuild will come after that. With nobody scheduled to be a FA able to replace Letang, he has to retained. It really is that simple.
Wilf, at this point I gotta believe that you are simply doing an outstanding caricature of a know-it-all hockey fan who knows nothing. You cannot be this consistently out of touch.
Marino to Ottawa confirmed
Hasn’t Letang won 3 cups?
Certainly has, though he was injured and didn’t play in one Final. Name is still on the Cup 3 times though.
I really thought Pittsburgh would start rebuilding this year and let both Letang and Malkin go on a championship team, they are not bad but not a stanley cup team anymore.
Worst thing they could do is offer 4-5 year deals to their aging core and do exactly like the Phillies did in the early 2010’s
You’re not alone. I’m sure Letang and Malkin are thinking the same as well, but hell, why not.
This page says Letang only won 2 cups. Hockey Reference also says that. But the Pens won 3 cups during his years on the team. Why isn’t he a 3x winner?
He didn’t play in 2017.
He played in 41 games that season.
Man, they are in for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong road back.
Not sure what makes them think they can still do it if they didn’t this past year. These guys are on the wrong side of 35.
Define “still do it if they didn’t this past year”.
You wanted them to play goalie?