Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Pittsburgh Penguins will have plenty of tough decisions to make this offseason.
Will Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang be back? What other free agents are they going to be able to bring back?
There will likely have to be a bit of a give on salary for Malkin and Letang to remain with the Penguins. If common ground can’t be found, could one or both walk?
30-year-old Bryan Rust is also a pending UFA but will they want to go long-term with someone who was injured twice this season? If not by the Penguins, someone will pay Rust.
The Penguins could look to gain some salary cap space by trading Jason Zucker, or a defenseman in either Brian Dumoulin or Marcus Pettersson. A sweetener may be needed to move Zucker or Pettersson.
Finding a 1B goaltender for next year should be a priority this offseason.
Mike Sullivan will most likely be back as the head coach next season.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Goaltender Tristan Jarry on last night potentially being the final game for Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin playing together.
“It’s something you never want to think about. They’re generational players and Pittsburgh’s lucky enough to have three of them for the last 15 years.
The bond that they’ve created throughout the team and throughout management think is something that’s irreplaceable. It’s a business, but I think that if they’re able to come back, they definitely well. There’s a bond between them and I think that’s unbreakable.”
