Trying to have the oldest core in the league?
Big Three? Is it now a Big Four in Pittsburgh?
Despite 3/4’s of the group Ron Hextall now calls the ‘core’ being closer to 40 years old than 30, Hextall see’s no reason not to continue to build around Crosby, Malkin, Letang and now Jeff Carter………..
“We are excited about our group with Letang, Crosby, Malkin and Jeff Carter,” said Ron Hextall at his season ending zoom conference on Wednesday.
Hextall lumping Carter into the “core” talk was eye catching and during the presser Hextall also spoke of how after adding Carter he didn’t see any real weaknesses in the Penguins lineup.
There’s no question Carter ended up being a fantastic trade deadline addition, but set to turn 37 years old in January, the Penguins are taking quite the optimistic approach that Carter can steadily be an impact player at his age next season through a grueling 82 game season and based off the body of work Carter showed the last couple seasons.
In fact, there’s even wild talk that Hextall believes Carter has more than just one more season left in him and discussing an extension won’t be ruled out, sources say.
By the end of the 2021-2022 regular season Jeff Carter will be 37, Evgeni Malkin 35, Kris Letang 35, and Sidney Crosby 34.
“We see a future with this core,” said Hextall. “We had a good year. It certainly didn’t give me pause to think about what we should do with this core. I expect to have these guys back next year, for sure.”
Running it back with the aging core on Malkin and Letang’s final years of their contracts was always going to be the easiest route to take and likeliest. That’s not the surprise.
What’s a bit stunning is how much weight the new regime is putting in on the small sample of this season, which it really was with the shortened season when you only faced seven other teams. It’s a risky proposition to bank on when you have an aging core as they do that being a year older they’ll maintain or be better. It doesn’t often work that way.
“There’s a special drive to this group and chemistry we like,” said Hextall. “We do believe that we’ll do everything we can to try to get better this summer at every position. We’ll see what comes our way, but our goal next year is to come back, make the playoffs and hopefully go on a run.”
MORE BUZZ
— There’s a sense inside the organization and around the league that the new regime is comfortable extending Kris Letang this summer if there’s a happy medium to be reached between the two sides. They don’t have the same comfort level with [hide] Evgeni Malkin, multiple sources say. There are serious concerns in the front office that Malkin’s body is just going to continue to break down. “He’s beat up,” a team source said.
If Malkin gets one this summer, it will be 100% driven by David Morehouse & Co, than the new regime being fully onboard. [/hide] Malkin and his agent JP Barry plan to approach the Penguins To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Even if Jim Rutherford still remained a long-term believer in Tristan Jarry, that would have been a much different press conference from Rutherford than how Hextall handled Jarry’s postseason performance like he was some 18 year old rookie in just brushing Jarry’s poor play off like the Penguins have another 5-6 year Cup runs in them.
— Jake Guentzel produced this season at 33 goal, 83 point pace over 82 games. Last season Guentzel produced at a 90 point pace over 82 games. A former 40 goal scorer who turns 27 with three years left on his contract with a $7 million cap hit. Guentzel’s partial no trade list (12 teams) kicks in July 1, 2022. Guentzel will get you in a lot of discussions and it’s no secret around the league Hextall will be all ears on Guentzel in surveying the market. Fair or not, Guentzel’s a key asset the Penguins are evaluating of whether he’s more built for regular season hockey than playoff hockey, despite the great playoff success he had early in his career. Penguin management is said to be concerned To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Pittsburgh will go 7-3-1 in the expansion draft after going 4-4-1 in 2017. Hextall admitted the Penguins will lose a ‘pretty good player’ but there’s nobody Hextall and the brain trust view as being worth keeping to have to make a side deal and give up a mid to high draft pick from the 2022 draft pool, a draft the Penguins hope to stock picks for.
To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
One Period from Tampa vs Islanders rematch
Vegas vs Montreal
Watching this game 6 Islanders are destroying the Bruins 4 – 1 after two periods. I think the Penguins played much better against them than the Bruins… Had had any kind od solid goaltending we win game 5 in double OT… Then maybe there is a game 7 in the Burgh..
Boston looks awful …. shocking
now watch as I write this Boston will have this mazing 4 goal 3rd period..LOL
OOOPPPPSS Much better vs the Islanders than the Bruins
ZeroTool’s hero
Greta thunberg now saying the world is running out of land and food
Maybe they should ship her to Mars to make some room in the world
You’re already there, so you could give directions.
“Fat chub fly mars fraud hot dogs bandwagon clouds”
Npl sucksss
So does the democRATS
Looks like fraud price will be playing vs fraud fleury. I bet Mr agenda will be glued to watch that series
Sam(e)’s basement will look like a Jackson Pollock painting.
What a comeback by Vegas sad day for yogourt
St bleurys annual playoff meltdown has just begun. Omg
Check who is leading GAA in the playoffs
Thank you in advance
Go watch murray or jarry
Oh wait you cant because they are also home watching fleury
Malkin Letang and Lemieux for Draisaitl and Mcdavid
Throw in Morehouse.
A bit late to drool about it chubster
That would’ve maybe happened if they would’ve have tried that trade to get oilers number 1 before mcdavid drafted but you and other fat droolers were too busy riding malkins cockk on nightly basis.
Now maybe Malkin can fetch your dream player Shane Doan with a box of donuts
That would not have happened in a million years. And you are the one who wanted Shane Doan… after he retired.
“That would’ve maybe happened” – HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
So if the Canes lose tonight, will Brind’Amour become the new Rangers head coach?
Well they lost 2-0 now
This should be an interesting off season… Boston doing what Penguins did 2 – 2 lost game 5 at home uuuggghhhhh.
Canadiens await the winner of Vegas Avalanche ..
Those Pesky Islanders….
Boston shot themselves in the foot. Too many bad penalties.
Yep…..
Islanders seem to get away with more…
Wow Canadiens sweep…
Sad day for donut boy fraud price and the ahl team beat the favorite jets
Donut Boy Fraud Price with his .875 SV%.
Box score agenda
Tell us what was prices numbers in this series not just one game and while you are at it tell us who is leading the league with the GAA
I heard its an old goalie
That’s what happens when your team shuts down their oppositions offense and your defense actually plays defense in front of you! You see a lot less shots on goal. 236 to be exact. I don’t hate MAF, I respect what he has done for the sport of hockey and in Pitts but he is not an elite playoff goalie. You are just a troll who likes to start shit bc Fleury is Canadian. If he was an American or Russian we would not be having this conversation and everyone on here knows this. As for Price, at $10 a season,… Read more »
So you agree penguins played very poor in front on fleury under DB and his peewee hockey system
MAF Playoff numbers after 09.
13 games. 26 SA av 2.78 GAA
7 games. 22 SA av 2.53 GAA
6 games. 26 SA av 4.64 GAA
5 games. 29 SA av 3.51 GAA
3 games, 16 SA av 3.03 GAA
Take some responsibility. No team can win with those numbers. Those are average shots against per night.
And what is the excuse after DB was fired?
Obviously nothing will happen until after the expansion draft and then maybe son=me moves at he NHl Draft a couple days later.
I think we should move Evgeni Malkin either at the Nhl draft or this off season. I also would be ok with him playing out his final year of his contract as a Penguins…and maybe accepting a home town discount to stay further.
What I don’t want to see is him being extended at his current rate or god forbid more…bad for buisness…
So you are ok with every possible scenario except giving him lots of money. Lol.
yeah play out his final year and take a hometown discount for any extension..
Just no extention for $9.5 million or more not at 36..
Or play out your final year and trade him at the deadline…
Solid article on hockeybuzz about Malkin regarding how well he played in the playoffs on one leg, how it’s highly unlikely he’ll get dealt and how there’s a mutual respect and care between him and the organization. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t retire a Penguin and he’s still a high end center when he’s healthy.
Yes agreed ! When he is healthy which he will be once his knee is healed. This is the perfect time to move him to Florida where he lives full time, his famlly is and loves, and Floroda wants him. Resigning him without a home town team friendly discount will not be good for buisness and he wont accept less… We can’t become th Kings or the Blackhawks and hold on to aging players. It is a win for Geno and the Penguins… Malkin loves it there and he will be rejuvenated there being home full time. Pittsburgh has been… Read more »
I doubt Malkin gets moved especially after the surgery..
Just saw another article PGH Hockey Now Malkin would consider moving his NMC to Florida. He has said his family loves living in Miami and enjoy it there so…??? Does Florida bite ? Malkin’s knee will be healed so???
What do you think would be a fair return return for Malkin at this stage?
i would take C/W Sam Bennett, RHD Radko Gudas and a 1st or 2nd round pick ???
Malkin’s wife and child live 3/4 of the time during the NHL season in Miami Florida…so ??? Maybe Malkin waives that NMC.
I bet a million bucks if Geno plays out his contract and the Penguins offer him a home town discount to finish as a Penguin…..he will take a higher offer to play especially in Florida..
You are not getting all that for player who is coming off knee surgery, is past his prime, has one year remaining on his contract and is only willing to go to one or two teams.
His knee will heal, he would accept a trade there, and ok maybe we take away the draft picks. Just take only Bennett and Gudas….you don’t think Florida jumps on that? They want him ! He will b better there being at home in Miami where he lives full time and being with his wife and kid. Yes he has declined but if he is healthy he will be a very good player…not elite, but good He will be relaxed living at home full time and Barkov/Huberdeau will be the main stars. I I think he will be rejuvenated in… Read more »
It’ll be fun watching the Habs get rolled next series. They can only beat hapless Canadian teams.
the way Jarry and Murray are having fun watching Fleury playing another Round while he is end of his career
If you swapped the two, Murray would still be playing. MAF has had the luck of being on a Cup contending team his whole career, yet he still got his job stolen 3 times and only has one Cup. And I’ve never been a big Jarry fan. That was your boyfriend Dusty.
Fleury took a B team reject Vegas team to the finals
Caps were just to powerful for Vegas. But all the other series I’ve watched he stole the series on his own.
Fraud murray his career will be done by 30
Imagine murray 36 playing ha I’d bet 1000$ with you if that ever happens
Haha yeah, he stole all the other series. lol that’s hilarious. You’re delusional.
He may have “stole” the LA series, the rest was the team. Sam(e) will never admit to the series that MAF pissed away, just the ones he “stole.”
Reeves with an assist. Where are the revs droolers
I see the NHL comes down very hard on goons.
Keanu? Didn’t know he was in the league.
Looks like Montreal will represent that shitt division.
Fraud price playing good along with Perry
It’s like 1993 again underdog team
93 they beat the favorite nordiques
Also 11 overtimes in a row they went
He is making $10 million a year and has nothing to show for it. That division is garbage and you know it. I’ll reserve judgement for when they play a good team.
You’re lucky habs don’t face the penguins often in playoffs
Since 09 habs face pens twice as underdogs and both times they beat the penguins with that ahl team.
Habs are garbage season team but come playoffs they are a surprise team
A surprise team that has not won a SC in almost 30 years.
Advancing to the conference finals twice since 09 is not much of a surprise.
Habs were hot they could’ve went final and maybe beat the Kings. But thanks to kreider injured price and habs were forced with inexperienced goalie
You always have an excuse.
yeah that’s true…
But Penguins have got five Cups since 1991 1992 2009 2016 2017
Habs 1993
Montreal is the Yankees of baseball historic, dominant, legendary, hasn’t done shit in the last 27 years….
Toronto hasn’t won since when 1967 0r 1968
Winnipeg has never won
Ottawa has never won ??
Vancouver had some spurts of goodness
Quebec Folded there is that
Edmonton has had some of the greatest teams ever but nothing since 1990
Calgary has won here and there
But,,,Montreal has been impressive…..hats off to them and they are gaining confidence and chemistry with each game…
Wow this Islanders fans are going crazy. Love how loud they are
Not in million years penguin fans would be that passionate at the games
They are too comfortable playing in a museum atmosphere
Have you ever been to an actual Penguins game in either the Igloo or PPG?
Islander fans are loud, when they are actually winning. The design of the Coliseum also amplifies the sound. Low ceiling, metal dome. Most of the fans are wearing new jerseys.
At least now he’s talking about Pens fans as if he’s not one of them, which we know he’s not. And no, he’s never been to a game. He jumped on the bandwagon when Sid came and the Pens started doing well. Now he’s jumping off because Sid is getting older and they aren’t doing as well. Hopefully he’ll find an Avalanche board to troll since they have Nathan and he loooooooves Nathan.
I think the Islanders, Predators and Golden Knights have the loudest fans…. Be interesting to see if that changes next year when the islanders move in to a big brand new building..
Nassau fort never lose is old and small…
I do disagree with you.. Pittsburgh crowds whether at the old Civic Arena, PPG Paints or Heinz Field Pittsburgh fans are damn loud and vocal…
Attend a Flyers/ Capitals game at PPG Paints you’ll see !
He will never respond.
What a crazy game Tampax vs canes
10 goals geez……
Can you imagine a Tampa / Colorado Stanley Cup final !!
The Pens should pull a Tampa, put players on LTIR, circumvent the cap, and make sure everyone is miraculously ready the day the playoffs start.
I wonder who Tampa will sit next year with their cap issues.
Yeah Tampa sur used that rule to their advantage…
So who do you think the Penguins will go after in the off season?
Any thoughts from anybody?
I think they make a play for Seth Jones or Doug Hamilton..
With a flat salary cap, terrible contracts and players with NTC they are stuck with a lot of garbage. Overpaying for Seth Jones will not be the answer. Not when you are stuck with Letang, Matheson and Pettersson. Plus Marino massive regressed.
Cammer…I agree with you !! I think Marino will return to form next year and be better. There are teams like Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus, Anaheinm, LA Kings that have cap space and could use a Zucker, a Pettersson. We have guys that can be moved. Zucker, Blueger and Pettersson that are young, affordable, and have value to some teams… Those teams have cap space..
I would keep Blueger.
lol of course you would. Its not like they have over 25mil tied up into dmen going into next year and they are up against the cap or anything. Oh, wait…. Blueger will also be due a raise. They couldn’t afford either one of those guys even if they got rid of both Marino and Pettersson, which is highly unlikely. As much as you want to see Malkin moved, he probably won’t be. Same with Letang. Then there’s the aspect of reinforcing the goaltending position. Maybe just don’t get all hot and bothered by every single potential trade target or… Read more »
Actually I just asked a simple question bro….who do you think the Penguins might go after in the off season ?? I wasn’t hot nd bothered by any free agent.!!.Where do you come up with this crap bro.. just a question !
Do you actually have a thought on that?
I do agree that Malkin and Letang will probably be here one more year so b it !!
Why not make a play for one of those two….. Either one of those guys makes us way better and can log serious minutes.
we can move cap space…just our UFA’s if you don’t resign that’s $4.4 million of the books ! Half the contract you will offer Hamilton or Seth Jones who will want $7.5 – $ 8 million
you move Zucker that’s $5.5 million
you move Pettersson that’s $ 4.025 million
What would you actually suggest the team do?. —-oh great mind of hockey? Do you actually have a thought or do you just criticize everyone !!..
To your point below, if you let the UFAs walk, you don’t save that money unless you decide to ice a team short a few players. They are all at or near league minimum and need replaced. Not to mention, Marino gets a 3.5mil raise and they need to resign Blueger, which will probably require another couple mil considering he’s an RFA and had a really solid year. Again, they have ZERO cap space if they’re bringing back their current roster without the UFAs. As to what I would do: Top five players in order I’d like to see moved:… Read more »
Ideally, I’d move Zucker, Pettersson, McCann and Jarry and replace them with Hyman, POJ, Sam Poulin and Gibson. It’s insanely hard to ice a cup-contending team without effective players on ELCs.
I think Gibson would be ideal but you watch Washington will swoop in on him……
They go after all ex Penguins Sheary, Schultz, Hagelin, Sprong !!
Penguins were mildly interested in Chara last year. Washington sees that boom 2 minutes later he is a Capital.
So if they see the Penguins want Gibson they will too…LOL
TBJ, I agree…We need size, sandpaper and grit….One defenseman I would go after is Chicago Blackhawks Nikita Zadorov who was on the market at the deadline… He is 6 ft 5 235, can skate, has a cannon of a shot, will kill you in the corners, crush you if you have your head down, and is just hard to play against. He is Ulf Samuelson 2.0 except bigger, faster, and way more skilled. Chicago has some cap space and they need scoring badly.. Zucker for Zadorov and we save $2.3 in the deal. Penguins get a young 25/26 physical defenseman,… Read more »
Last of f season I would have agreed with you ! Watching Chara in this years playoffs he has really slowed. I would rather let POJ develop….if we get Zadorov and another gritty forward that would be better…
Tempting though..
I like Blueger but he can be moved….
I’m so over Malkin….Great player once upon a time and a great Penguin! I’m so tired of him getting injured every year…150 games lost since 2013…
Now it will be even harder to move him..if not impossible ! Florida was sniffing/monitoring the Malkin situation I’m sure they will back off…
So all of you are giving Sid a soft pass on the end of the season?
No Sid must garner some of the blame…..
-You look the playoffs many stars get shut down….McDavid, Matthews, Crosby, Barzal, Toffolli, Schieffle, Marner, Ovechkin, Ryan Orielly, Mark Stone, Nick Backstrom,..
In the playoff stars get heavily guarded, the stars also cancel each other out, so most playoffs are decided by the 3rd and 4th lines of each team.
Remember the Penguins HBK line…3rd line..
SID is such a great talent but his one flaw that I thought he cured a couple years ago is he doesn’t shoot enough…he is always pass first.
Remember a bunch of years back he decide to shoot more he scored 50 and 40 plus as well…now he isn’t shooting again…
Trotz knows this and took away his wingers and Sid didn’t adjust by shooting more or going hard to the net.
That’s on him…he has to realize that..
You tell him!
I think I just did… LOL
True fact Sid passes on too many chances..
Our Russian having a knee surgery
He will be out until early next season
How nice.
I guess he bought his next year’s annual vacation earlier
As you say he will be starting his annual vacation early next season…No training camp which means late start to the ice and a slow start probably wont hit stride until December…there goes any trade possibility..
Yup every time his name is in trade talks he pulls a stunt like this I’m fed up with this guy. Fools. Sheep’s like tbj ,Stan and npl
It’s fun watching the short bus interact lol
Keep riding malkins cockk you moron.
Where did I mention Malkin? Hockey11 called him a bust and you’ve been assuring us for a decade he be in Russia already. Stating neither is true is only a fact.
Bro read my post above for the love of god…He is one of the greatest Penguins ever to wear black and gold.. I said I think its time to move him he is breaking down that’s it.. Stop doing that putting word in to my mouth… This is why I’m not responding to you much anymore you make shit up and don’t own anything..
read above….thanks
The guy had to have reconstructive knee surgery which should have been done after the injury accorded. He still managed to play a few games and scored more playoff points in less games than anyone not named Carter. I give him props for that. They should have shut him down, put him on LTR and used that money to nab another center. I agree, Malkin is nearing the end but I am curious how he will respond next season when he comes back healthy. What is the excuse for the rest of the team included Crosby, Rust and Jake for… Read more »
Bro just because you praise him now doesn’t mean you didn’t say it before. Everyone saw it. So maybe you should BE A MAN AND OWN UP TO IT. If you want to be a man, own up to false statements on TIOPS. Everyone know thats what it takes to be a man.
Look Malkin has been a great Penguin…one of the best I really believe this is the summer to move him and get what we can for him… Florida really seems interested and has closely monitor the situation the last two years. He will take some pressure off Barkov and Huberdeau and they will get Ekblad back next season from injury.. He has a house in Miami and lives there No state tax They have a good team and maybe he can really turn it around there. His former team mate Hornqvist is there They have a good coach in coach… Read more »
https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/national-donut-day-deals-2021-free-donuts
https://stansdonuts.com/
good one Stan
That’s 2,464 consecutive links you’ve posted that no one will ever look at.
Saw an article in the Pittsburgh papers that the Penguins should go after and maybe over pay for UFA Columbus defenseman Seth Jones.
The article said Jake Guentzel and John Marino ? Thoughts
good idea ?
I saw that too.
We already have the Russian at 9.5 overpaid. I guess lesson hasn’t been learned
Didn’t we over pay for one Columbus defensemen already?
Touche…..this one has a better shot !!!
Scheifele gets four games.
Just saw the hit wow….cheap Somehow Wilson only got a slap on the wrist for his crap..
He shouldve gotten more. Reason he got so little is because his name is not Matt Cooke
4 is good. He does not have a history.
Agreed. But the hit outside of being vicious. It was very very unnecessary the player is right beside the net it’s pretty much a goal unless your name is Patrick Stephan.
Better than that bum Stephane Richer.
How is richer a bum the guy was a 50 goal scorer in his career. You are comparing Patrick Stephan to richer you are sad tbj. Shows you have no clue what you talking about and have a certain agenda here
Drool
Biggest treat to the world
A) Nuclear War
B) Global Warming
C) Dr. Fauci
D) Bill Gates
E) Joe Biden
Dude why the politics this is a hockey site…. enough
Ice Cream is the biggest treat to the world.
Lasagna or anything involving chocolate and peanut butter.
Choc & peanut butter ice cream!!
What about donuts
Depends on what kind.
This is like expecting a Tomlin-coached team to win in the playoffs.
Well said Diego !!
Fauci is a fraud
So is Biden
And the rest of the fat democRATS
@Rothey77 shut the hell up !
If they are not extending those guys – leaves a couple of options – trade in the off-season – or the deadline- no walking for free even if you only get something small
Completely agree. Nice to see they are in extension talks now. One year of each at their current age isn’t worth multiple first round draft picks and prospects. Not to mention the cap space they would have to work with.
I agree, deadline deal might be a better move for them to a team close to cup contention.
What worries me about a deadline deal with Malkin is his full NMC. I think if they dealt him, it’d be easier to do in the off-season with more time to facilitate it. Letang would bea bit easier. Who knows, though.
Burke was talking to starkey this week that no objective came from 66 to sign or move either. Burke said they will take the blame for whatever they do.
Off season is the time to move Malkin if they are going to move him..
Please dont extend them..Letang or Malkin
Happy pride month to npl and his kind
Sam(e)’s favorite time of the year!
Big mistake if we don’t move Malkin or Letang…..one!!
who wants our expensive rubbish?
Agreed…..Florida for some reason is keeping tabs and sniffing on the Malkin situation in Pittsburgh. That might be the best fit.
-No state tax
– Malkin has a house and lives in Miami
– Fellow Russians there
– Former Penguins team mate Hornqvist is there
– He will be the man there, low key atmosphere there, his annual vacation of 20 plus games a year can be on the beach…
Do you think he learned from the sunburn incident a few years back?
translation, nobody is even considering over paying for letang or malkin. the pens are stuck with those two. oh well.
The Jeff Cater trade was great for a short term fix. How will he hold up over an 82 game schedule and a hopeful playoff run next year?
Well i said that earlier before the trade and got roasted for saying Carter is slow… I should hve rephrased it and said he slowed down or wore down as the season moved along in Los Angeles. Living in L.a, I did see that and got roasted for suggesting that.
He does fir here nd playing third line he doesn’t have the responsibility he had in L.a.
Great add..good question moving further…
nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah hey hey good bye # 71
I wish. This con man has lingered around this team a bit too long
Time to pack his toys and leave