The Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang question: Will they be re-signed this offseason?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's the big question of the offseason: will Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang be wearing the skating penguin logo when the 2022-23 NHL season begins or will two franchise icons be playing somewhere other than Pittsburgh?
With no clear answer yet and free agency fast approaching, where do the Penguins and two of their long-time stars stand?
Evgeni Malkin
The Russian superstar has long been a subject of praise and scorn since he defected from his home country to start playing in Pittsburgh in 2006.
Now due a new contract, the center will be 36 years old when the puck drops next season.
In 981 NHL games, Malkin has produced 444 goals, 702 assists, and 1146 points, all in Pittsburgh.
He's also been an NHL MVP, a Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP, and a four-time all-star.
However, he has not played a full 82-game NHL season since 2008-09.
Despite that, he's continued to produce at a high level, scoring 20 or more goals in nine of the past ten seasons, and producing upward of 70 points in 11 of the 16 seasons he has played in the NHL.
So, what exactly is Malkin looking for in a new contract?
While he made his usual quips, he opened up a bit following the Penguins' first-round exit to the Rangers.
"It's hard. I believe I'm still a good player. And I believe good players sign good contracts," he said. "If I say once 'I'm a rich guy,' it doesn't mean I deserve a $1 million contract. But I mean, I knew my price and my agent knew my price, and I think the team knew my price. Again, it's business. But we'll see what's going on. I hope we sign a good deal. I want to play three, four years. Money's not a big deal, but I have family, I have parents. I want a good future for them."
Even though he's expressed a willingness to take a pay cut, according to Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet, he keeps hearing the two sides are not close, but with free agency just 10 days away, a deadline could spur action.
Kris Letang
Penguins General Manager Ron Hextall has in no uncertain terms made it clear that the team's offseason priority is to re-sign the veteran defenseman.
"In a perfect world, Geno retires a Penguin, Tanger's the same," Hextall said at the end of the season. "We'd like to keep them here through the end of their careers. Obviously, we have some issues and areas to work through in terms of the salary cap. It's a puzzle right now. I wish we had more pieces in place to make it more clear. It's hard to venture a guess of where we will end up. The numbers matter. We'll continue to work with both guys and hopefully come to an agreement at some point."
While the trophy cabinet may not be as full as Malkin, Kris Letang has been the Penguins' general on the blue line for about the past 16 years.
The 35-year-old defenseman has been a consistent NHL defenseman since the 2007-08 season and in 13 of those 15 seasons, he has scored 30 points or more on the blue line as well as being the quarterback of the Penguins' power play.
Unlike Malkin, though, Letang's camp does not see a world where he takes a discount to stay.
However, again according to Friedman, the Penguins are inching closer to taking Letang's side and are willing to "go into uncomfortable territory" to make sure that he remains a Penguin.
It's believed that he is looking for a five-year deal and upwards of $7 million per year, a raise well-earned considering that Letang had his best year, scoring 68 points in 78 games played.
As the Penguins continue to march toward the 2022-23 NHL season, GM Ron Hextall has a daunting task ahead of him - find a way to keep two franchise icons in black and gold, all the while trying to make sure the team remains a viable contender to win the Stanley Cup, something a lot easier said than done.
That said, for the first time in a long time the Penguins have something - cap space.
As of Sunday, July 3, the Penguins currently hold $23.2 million in open space for contracts.
Letang and Malkin remain the two key targets, unrestricted free agents, that if not signed by July 13, are free to go to any other team that may put a lucrative deal in front of them.
Meanwhile, the team still has to decide what to offer restricted free agents Kasperi Kapanen and Danton Heinen.
Of note, the Penguins also have Rickard Rakell, Casey DeSmith, and Louis Domingue headed to unrestricted free agency.
While it doesn't seem like a decision is imminent one way or the other, a future without Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin is certainly more plausible now than it ever has been in this era of Penguins hockey.