Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall made it clear in comments on Monday that he still plans to bring back center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang.
Both players are unrestricted free agents this offseason, coming off of long-term deals with the Penguins. Malkin is in the final year of an eight-year contract with a $9.5 million cap hit, while Letang is finishing his eight-year contract with a $7.25 million cap hit. Both players were extended at the same time on July 1, 2013 when they were both eligible for extensions.
The Penguins signed winger Bryan Rust to a six-year contract with a $5.125 million cap hit on Saturday. Rust was another big free agent that the Penguins needed to lock up, and the extension gives the Penguins a projected $24-25 million in cap space this offseason. They also need to re-sign Kasperi Kapanen and Evan Rodrigues, as well as sign a backup goalie if they don’t bring back Casey DeSmith.
Malkin and Letang have played the entirety of their careers with the Penguins. Malkin has played 981 games over the course of 16 seasons with Pittsburgh, scoring 444 goals and 1,146 points. Letang has played 941 games over 16 seasons, scoring 144 goals and 650 points.
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