Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Penguins Rumors

Evgeni Malkin To Miss First Two Months Of The Season

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins are likely going to be without Sidney Crosby to start the year after undergoing wrist surgery earlier this month that will keep him out a minimum of six weeks. There wasn’t any clarity on Evgeni Malkin’s timeline until today, when Penguins GM Ron Hextall confirmed he will likely miss the first two months of the season as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.

That means the Penguins are without their top two centers for the first bit, but Malkin’s considerably longer absence is a bigger concern. The 35-year-old center is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, which saw him record just eight goals–his lowest total–and 28 points in 33 games. Malkin’s ice time dropped to fewer than 18 minutes a night for the first time and he once again missed a huge chunk of the season.

While obviously, the hope is that he comes back at full strength after the first two months and gets back to the player who scored 74 points in 55 games during the 2019-20 season, that may be wishful thinking for the Penguins faithful. The veteran center has dealt with countless injuries over a long career, failing to play in every game of a season since 2008-09 when he won the Art Ross Trophy with 113 points.

Even once Crosby returns, the absence of Malkin leaves question marks at the center position for the Penguins. The team does have Jeff Carter after a deadline deal last season, but he will turn 37 on January 1 and has seen a decline in offensive production in recent years. Teddy Blueger has shown he is likely better suited in the bottom-six, while other options like Evan Rodrigues and Sam Lafferty are not even proven NHL options. The team does have young prospect Filip Hallander, who has shown strong potential down the middle, and veteran Brian Boyle in camp on a PTO, but there will certainly be a void felt while Malkin is on the sideline.

With the ever-competitive Metropolitan Division coming back into play this year, losing Malkin for two months could be devastating. There are at least three teams in the division that are already projected to be equal or better than the Penguins this season, while each of those that missed the playoffs last year are expected to take steps forward. Every game will be important, and now the first 20 or so will be without one of the team’s key players.

Training Camp Notes: Bruins, Blue Jackets, Penguins

at CDT | by 5 Comments

As development camps begin to wrap up around the NHL, training camp rosters have been released throughout the day and into the evening. There’s been a variety of rather interesting surprises and irregularities as the rosters have been released to the public. One of the more unusual aspects of the day has to do with the Boston Bruins training camp roster. It appears as though veteran AHL defenseman Aaron Ness will be attending camp with the team. While no contract terms have been announced, he had previously signed a professional tryout contract with the Seattle Kraken. A contract announcement can likely be expected in the near future.

Elsewhere from training camps around the league:

  • Another surprise inclusion comes in the form of a veteran goaltender. The Columbus Blue Jackets released their roster today, including 30-year-old veteran netminder Jean-Francois Berube. The Quebec native, originally a selection of the Los Angeles Kings in 2009, is returning to the organization after a one-year stint there in 2018-19. It was played entirely with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. While Berube’s numbers have dipped in recent seasons, he was once a capable third-string option and still could provide valuable goalie depth to the organization. Similar to Ness, no contract terms have been released yet for Berube, but it’s something to look out for.
  • The Tribune-Review’s Seth Rorabaugh reports that forwards Sam Houde and Josh Williams are attending Pittsburgh Penguins camp on amateur tryout contracts. Both signings could help plug some organization depth weaknesses caused by a cascading injury effect. Houde comes to the team after serving as the captain for the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens, scoring 28 points in 29 games during his final QMJHL season. Williams, a winger out of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, showed off his goal-scoring skills this year with 17 goals and 30 points in 22 games. Both could slot into depth roles in the AHL and could eventually become bigger parts of the organization if signed.

Filip Lindberg Eyeing NHL Role With Penguins

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Training camp is a time for special interest stories. Seasoned vets and rookies alike sit down with their teams’ communications staffs and talk about their summers, their history with the team – or for newcomers their introduction, and their hopes and dreams for the seasons. However, no team is going to provide their fans with false hope about a prospect’s chances to help the team with stories of unreasonable expectations for the season. They may ask an AHL-bound player about his aspirations for the year, but will keep their own statements at least relatively grounded.

So when the Pittsburgh Penguins publish an article about premier college free agent signing Filip Lindberg hoping to win a job with the NHL team in his first pro season, it isn’t just puffery. When the team writes that “Lindberg is in [a] competition for playing time amongst the other netminders here in Pittsburgh as he looks to earn a starting role”, it doesn’t require much reading between the lines. It appears that the reigning NCAA National Champion, at just 22 years old, will actually have a chance to battle for a roster spot this preseason.

The Penguins were expected to bring in a veteran goaltender this off-season following inconsistency issues with starter Tristan Jarry and injury concerns with backup Casey DeSmith. Louis Domingue is not exactly what fans were expecting. Instead, Lindberg was the real value addition to the crease this summer. A seventh-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2019 following his freshman season at UMass, Lindberg had far outplayed his draft stock by the time he decided to leave college early and turn pro this year, spurning Minnesota for free agency in the process. In three NCAA seasons, Lindberg never posted a GAA over 2.00 nor a save percentage below .927. In 50 appearances for the Minutemen, he recorded a stunning .937 SV% and 1.55 GAA and, unsurprisingly, a .711 points percentage. This culminated in an NCAA Tournament performance for the ages, earning two shutouts for a .986 save percentage and 0.33 GAA in three games en route to UMass’ first ever title.

As accomplished as he may be at the college level, is Lindberg really ready for the NHL as a first-year pro? Maybe not for most NHL teams, but the Penguins have limited options. Jarry, 26, still appears to be locked in as the team’s starter, especially with another season left on his contract. However, 30-year-old DeSmith who has had struggles with injuries and inconsistency and is in the final year of his deal with the Penguins may not have much left to offer. Even if DeSmith begins the season on the NHL roster, he may not last. Would it really then benefit Pittsburgh to bring in journeyman Domingue over potential future NHL starter Lindberg? A strong performance in camp would be a good start for the college star, but may not be enough to win him a job outright. However, continued excellence in the AHL, including stealing starts from Domingue, could quickly put Lindberg in line for an NHL shot and perhaps even a full-time job in year one.

Before too long, even the starter’s job could belong to the lightning-quick netminder. Lindberg already unseated one Matt Murray in his career. Who’s to say he can’t do the same to Matt Murray’s replacements in Pittsburgh?

East Notes: Eichel, Chara, Hallander

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It was a busy news day in the Eastern Conference. It was highlighted by the New York Islanders signing Zdeno Chara and the Ottawa Senators signing Logan Brown, both to one-year deals. But those weren’t the only items of note from around the East today as things begin to heat up prior to training camps. The Associated Press’s John Wawrow reports that Jack Eichel will indeed report to the Buffalo Sabres for his physical next week. Considering the importance that Eichel’s health status plays in any potential trade from Buffalo, the results of this appointment will likely be of especially high interest to Buffalo and teams interested in acquiring the star center. It could provide some additional clarity about paths forward for Eichel, as well as a potential return date from his neck injury.

Elsewhere from around the East:

  • Assuming Chara actually suits up for game action with the Islanders this year, he’ll be setting an NHL record in the process. According to Sportradar, Chara will have gone the longest amount of time between games with a singular franchise of anyone in the league. His last game with the Islanders was in April of 2001, making it roughly 20 years and six months since he last suited up for the Isles. It smashes the previous record held by Brendan Shanahan, who went 17 years and nine months between games with the New Jersey Devils.
  • After being dealt from and back to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization via trades with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Filip Hallander remains committed to making an NHL career for himself with the team. Participating in this year’s development camp with the team, he notes to Penguins writer James Leo that he’s “here to take a spot.” It’s not something that’s entirely out of the realm of possibility. Neither Sidney Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin will be ready for the start of the season, stretching the team’s center depth extremely thin. The 21-year-old had 24 points in 51 games last year with Luleå in the Swedish Hockey League, and could at least earn a few games out of camp in a bottom-six role while the team heals up.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Pittsburgh Penguins

at CDT | by 9 Comments

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2021-22 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Current Cap Hit: $81,378,205 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

None projected to play a full-time role in the NHL this coming season.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Zach Aston-Reese ($1.725MM, UFA)
F Jeff Carter ($2.636MM, UFA)*
G Casey DeSmith ($1.25MM, UFA)
D Mark Friedman ($725K, RFA)
F Danton Heinen ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2MM, RFA)
F Sam Lafferty ($750K, UFA)
D Kris Letang ($7.25MM, UFA)
F Evgeni Malkin ($9.5MM, UFA)
D Juuso Riikola ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Evan Rodrigues ($1MM, UFA)
D Chad Ruhwedel ($750K, UFA)
F Bryan Rust ($3.5MM, UFA)

*-Los Angeles is paying 50% of Carter’s cap hit.

Malkin had a quiet year by his standards last season as he notched 28 points in 33 games and isn’t expected to be ready to start the upcoming campaign due to knee surgery.  Now 35, Malkin’s days of being an elite producer may have come to an end which means a pay cut should be on the horizon.  Rust didn’t put up a point per game last season but still produced at a top-line level.  Showing that over a full season would have him very well-positioned for a sizable raise on his next deal.  Kapanen’s second go-round in Pittsburgh was better than his first as he established himself as a strong second-liner.  He’ll be a year away from UFA eligibility at the end of this contract so a long-term, pricier contract is heading his way.  If not, he’d be wise to just file for arbitration and head to the open market in 2023.

Carter made an immediate impact after coming over from Los Angeles, notching 13 goals in 20 games (regular season and playoffs combined).  If he even comes close to that pace this coming season, they’ll get good value on the contract and Carter, who seemed to be a candidate to retire when this deal was up, could wind up sticking around the league a little longer.  Aston-Reese couldn’t work out a long-term contract (the cap situation played a role in that) which sends him to the open market next summer.  The market for bottom-six players improved considerably this offseason which bodes quite well for his future earnings.  Heinen was non-tendered by Anaheim following a tough run with them and lands in a favorable situation where he’ll be in a better offensive environment to try to rebuild his value.  He can be controlled through a qualifying offer although salary arbitration could be a factor.  Rodrigues was a serviceable role player and got a small raise this summer but unless his offensive numbers take a step forward, he won’t get much of one next year.  Lafferty brings grit but not a lot of production which will keep his price tag close to the minimum moving forward.

While Malkin is probably heading for a smaller salary, the same can’t necessarily be said for Letang, another long-time core piece that’s set to hit the open market.  The top-end production is still there as he very quietly finished tied for third in the league for points by a defenseman last season.  With the way the cost for top-pairing blueliners has gone up, Letang could have a decent case for a small raise.  If he’s willing to take a discount to stay in Pittsburgh – a reasonable possibility – the discount may simply be signing for something close to what he’s making now.  He’ll be subject to 35-plus provisions (unless a multi-year deal has equal compensation throughout) on his next contract but Letang still should still land a multi-year commitment.  Ruhwedel and Friedman are depth defenders whose biggest value comes from their low cap hits and those will need to be low-cost slots beyond this season.

DeSmith returned to the NHL last season after being the third-stringer in 2019-20 and the results were mixed as Pittsburgh’s goaltending ran hot and cold at times but overall, he provided slightly above average numbers at a price tag well below many recent backup signings.  A repeat showing could put him in a spot to double his current AAV next summer.

Two Years Remaining

F Teddy Blueger ($2.2MM, UFA)
D Brian Dumoulin ($4.1MM, UFA)
G Tristan Jarry ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Radim Zohorna ($750K, UFA)
F Jason Zucker ($5.5MM, UFA)

At the time that Pittsburgh acquired Zucker, his contract looked more than reasonable.  He was a quality top-six winger with the expectation that joining the Penguins would help improve his production.  That hasn’t happened and he wound up being unclaimed in expansion.  All of a sudden, his deal is an overpayment relative to the production he has provided which won’t help his market value two years from now.  Blueger has become an important bottom-six piece and should have an opportunity to play a bit of a bigger role this season.  Even capable bottom-six centers can land notable contracts so he should be looking at a raise in 2023.  Zohorna held his own in his NHL debut last season but is waiver-exempt for one more year.  He’s likely to be shuffled back and forth as a result to save some money on the cap.

Dumoulin doesn’t generate a lot of buzz around the league but he has been a key cog on their back end for several years.  His limited offensive production won’t help his chances of landing top dollar in free agency but as a reliable defensive defender that can log top-pairing minutes, he’s still looking at a fairly hefty raise on his next deal.

Jarry’s first season as the undisputed number one goalie didn’t exactly go as planned.  He struggled with consistency throughout the year with a propensity for allowing untimely weak goals.  Even so, he’s still only making what a top backup does so while he was overpaid for what he did last season, it wasn’t by as much as it might seem.  Needless to say, he’ll have to be a lot better to get a contract for number one money two years from now.

Three Years Remaining

F Jake Guentzel ($6MM, UFA)

Guentzel was once again slightly above the point per game mark last season and has basically been a point per game player over the last three seasons.  Not many can say that and even fewer have an AAV that is closer to a second-liner than a top-line forward.  He’s still young enough to land close to a max-term contract in his next negotiation and it could be a pricey one if this keeps up.

Read more

Burke: Not Time To Rebuild Penguins Yet

at CDT | by 8 Comments

  • While the Penguins haven’t had much playoff success as of late, team president Brian Burke told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that he doesn’t feel the time is right to rebuild yet. Pittsburgh wasn’t able to add much to their roster this summer – Brock McGinn was their biggest acquisition – but he feels the core is still good enough to contend.  With both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang set to become unrestricted free agents next summer, that will be the key time for a decision to be made on whether this core can still contend or it’s time to change things up.

Pittsburgh Hires Two Goaltending Development Coaches

at CDT | by 5 Comments

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired a pair of goaltending development coaches, bringing in Kain Tisi and Charles Grant. The two will work with goaltending prospects throughout the Penguins organization, in Europe, the minor leagues, juniors and college hockey, as well as scout draft-eligible and college free agent goalies. Tisi previously worked with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, while Grant is coming over from the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL.

Free Agent Profile: Devan Dubnyk

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Here is a snapshot of the free agent market at the goalie position: Tuukka Rask, who is committed to the Boston Bruins, Devan Dubnyk, Curtis McElhinney, who is older, played less, and performed worse than Dubnyk last season, Cory Schneider, who is also older than Dubnyk and didn’t play an NHL game last season, and a scattering of young goalies that did not receive qualifying offers and have a handful of NHL appearance between them. In short, the UFA goalie market is essentially just Dubnyk.

Now this doesn’t erase his performance from last season, or the year before last for that matter. The 35-year-old has not been on his game for some time now, performing well below his career numbers in each of the past two years. His age compounded by a number of years as a workhorse starter for the Minnesota Wild has shown in Dubnyk’s play, which has lacked sharpness and consistency even playing behind good teams like the Wild and Colorado Avalanche.

With that said, it speaks volumes that Colorado, a Stanley Cup favorite, still went out and acquired Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks at the NHL Trade Deadline last season. The team was facing down several injuries and net and were desperate for help, but still would not have given up assets for a player they didn’t trust could help their team. While Dubnyk was ultimately forgettable in his short stint with Colorado, he delivered five starts and three wins for the team as they battled for supremacy in the division standings.

At this point in his career, Dubnyk is what the Avalanche saw in him: an experienced veteran who was once one of the best in the game and can still be relied upon in a pinch. In the meantime, Dubnyk can mentor young goalies and contribute to a locker room. It’s not exactly the sales pitch of a league-winner, but Dubnyk can still contribute even if he is no longer capable of serving in a starting or even 1B role. Ideally, the veteran could find a spot where he can act as a No. 3 and, if need be or if he shows he is capable, can take over a backup role. Again, it isn’t the most valuable label, but it could benefit a number of teams.

At the end of the day, for those clubs who decide they need another goalie this late in the off-season or in-season but don’t want to make a trade, Dubnyk is the best of a group of less than stellar options. Teams are not going to be looking for a young player with upside or a cold, broken down veteran if they are in urgent need of help. Outside of Rask, who may as well be signed, Dubnyk is the only goalie that can provide value as a free agent addition. Teams would be smart to keep tabs on him as training camps begin to open up.

Stats

2020-21: 22 GP, 6-11-2 (.368), .895 SV%, 3.20 GAA, .444 QS%, 1 SO
Career: 542 GP, 253-206-54 (.546), .914 SV%, 2.61 GAA, .539 QS%, 33 SO

Potential Suitors

At first glance, the Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres are the two teams with the greatest needs in net. Carter Hutton and Josef Korenar for the ’Yotes and Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell for the Sabres is a list of names that would be hard-pressed to even find backup jobs elsewhere in the league. With that being said, neither team has much incentive to bring in yet another veteran. Both Arizona and Buffalo are resigned to bottom-dweller status this season and don’t need to add depth in goal, especially when it blocks young keepers like Korenar in Arizona or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Only if the veteran starters for these clubs suffered long-term injuries would Dubnyk really make sense.

Instead, the veteran is a more realistic target for a contender that needs depth and experience in net. Even after adding Louis Domingue, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ goalie group that also includes the inconsistent Tristan Jarry and the injury-prone Casey DeSmith could use added stability and guidance. Another team that jumps out as an option is Calgary. The Flames acquired promising youngster Daniel Vladar this summer to back up Jacob Markstrom and he cannot be reassigned to the AHL without the risk of waivers. However, if Vladar struggles in his first full-time NHL role and Calgary is not any more secure with Tyler Parsons or Adam Werner, Dubnyk could be a nice free agent addition to stabilize the net.

Any other suitors would likely be a product of injury at this point, but that could mean more than it sounds. Injuries in hockey are obviously not uncommon and Dubnyk clearly stands out as the best unsigned option available.

Projected Contract

Barring an off-season training injury before camps open, a PTO seems like the most likely “contract” to be heading Dubnyk’s way. The experienced veteran would provide a good camp presence while proving that he does (or does not) have gas left in the tank. If anyone was urgent to add a goalie it likely would have happened by now, meaning some patient team is probably going to merely extend Dubnyk the opportunity to earn a deal.

With that being said, urgency can be created quickly, especially once camps begin. If Dubnyk isn’t already on a PTO elsewhere, he will be the first call from teams with thin goalie depth who suffer an injury in net and don’t want to waste time or capital on the trade market. Even in this situation though, the league minimum $750K is likely the extent of Dubnyk’s value. It would likely take several injuries across the league to force a bidding war that lands the veteran anything more.

Sidney Crosby Undergoes Wrist Surgery

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without captain Sidney Crosby when training camp opens in a few weeks, as he underwent wrist surgery today. Crosby is expected to miss six weeks, likely meaning he will not be ready for the start of the season. Penguins GM Ron Hextall released a statement explaining why the surgery was done now:

This is not a new injury for Sid. It is something that he has played through for years. After exhausting all minimally-invasive options and much discussion, it was decided that surgery was in his best interest.

Crosby, 34, is no stranger to injury, having played in all 82 games just once in his storied career. Despite that, and whatever discomfort this wrist problem was causing him, the Penguins star has maintained a streak of at least a point-per-game rate in each of his 16 seasons. In 2020-21, he registered 62 points in 55 games, finishing tenth in league scoring and first on the Penguins. That earned him a fourth-place finish in the Hart Trophy voting, with 11 voters actually putting him second behind the unanimous selection of Connor McDavid.

While obviously getting this surgery earlier in the summer would have been better for the Penguins regular season hopes, Crosby still shouldn’t miss much time. Should he return six weeks from today, he would be absent for just four games to start the year, certainly not something that would put a season in jeopardy.

Of course for the Penguins, every game matters as they try to battle for standing in the Metropolitan Division. With Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang now all in their mid-thirties, the challenge of competing for a Stanley Cup seems even greater. With the captain out, it seems likely that Jeff Carter, a trade deadline acquisition last season, and Teddy Blueger, will slide into the top-six center positions for the first few games given Malkin’s own injury concerns. The 35-year-old Malkin underwent knee surgery in June and was not given a definitive timeline other than he will not be available for training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Brian Boyle, Matt Bartkowski To PTOs

at CDT | by 11 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing in some experience to training camp. The team announced today that both Brian Boyle and Matt Bartkowski have signed professional tryouts with the club and will be at camp later this month.

Boyle, 36, didn’t play anywhere in 2020-21 before joining the U.S. contingent at the IIHF World Championship, where he captained the squad to a bronze medal. He actually opened some eyes with his play, which resulted in two goals and three points in ten games despite his advanced age, and suggested that a return to the NHL could be possible for the 2021-22 season. That chance is now apparent in Pittsburgh, where he’ll battle for an NHL contract at training camp.

There’s a lot to like in the 6’6″ forward, who has played 805 regular season games over a long career. Boyle at one point was on a streak of deep playoff runs, getting to the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons with the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Though he’ll never again be the 20-goal scorer he was in 2010-11, he’s an excellent faceoff man that can add size to the fourth line and chip in offensively now and again. Even while playing just 12 minutes a game with the Florida Panthers in 2019-20 he managed six goals and 15 points in 39 games.

Bartkowski on the other hand has only played 256 NHL games to this point, last finding a regular lineup spot in 2015-16 with the Vancouver Canucks. He played just one game for the Minnesota Wild last season, spending most of the year with the Iowa Wild of the AHL. That injury replacement role is exactly the kind he’s likely fighting for in Penguins camp, but an NHL contract for the veteran defenseman isn’t out of the question.

One thing to note with any PTO is that it is not just a showcase for the team that signs it, but for the entire league. If Boyle or Bartkowski show enough to catch the eye of another team, they are allowed to sign with anyone they want.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top