Former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was known for being very transparent about his plans for the team. He would often publicly state his need for a specific player, and shortly after, he would make a trade to fill that need. For example, he announced he needed a top-six winger, and within two weeks, Jason Zucker was acquired via trade.
Ron Hextall, Rutherford’s successor, took a different approach. He was much more vague about his intentions. Hextall would express satisfaction with his roster, only to then make significant moves, such as trading for forward Jeff Carter.
Currently, Kyle Dubas holds the roles of both president of hockey operations and general manager for the Penguins. Dubas differs from both Rutherford and Hextall in his approach. He has explicitly stated that he will not disclose specifics regarding his plans for the team. Consequently, any speculation about the Penguins’ strategy during the NHL Draft or the free agent signing period is purely speculative. Dubas has limited his public comments and maintains a tight-lipped approach regarding his intentions.
As the Penguins head into a crucial weekend for the NHL, several significant questions loom over the team. One of the primary concerns is the goaltending situation. Following the end of the 2023-24 season, Dubas and coach Mike Sullivan voiced strong support for Tristan Jarry, who is considered the team’s top goaltender. Their endorsement of Jarry was evident despite him losing his starting position to backup Alex Nedeljkovic for the final 13 games of the regular season during the Penguins’ desperate playoff push. It’s important to note that Jarry was scratched from at least one of those games due to illness.
In his season-ending media availability on April 19, Dubas expressed confidence in Jarry while simultaneously indicating that Nedeljkovic, a pending unrestricted free agent, was unlikely to return. He also showed interest in promising prospect Joel Blomqvist. However, approximately two months later, the Penguins signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract extension worth $2.5 million per season. With Jarry’s salary cap hit of $5.375 million and four years remaining on his contract, the Penguins now have a combined $7.875 million allocated to their goaltending.
While this figure is not exorbitant, it does limit the team’s financial flexibility for the upcoming offseason. According to Cap Friendly, the Penguins are projected to have $10,745,658 in salary cap space when free agency opens on Monday. This amount is sufficient to address some roster needs but may not allow for significant changes to a team that missed the playoffs.
In recent days, established NHL goaltenders such as Joonas Korpisalo, Darcy Kuemper, Jacob Markstrom, and Linus Ullmark have been involved in trades. Jarry has a modified no-trade clause that permits him to list 12 teams he would not accept a trade to, limiting the potential market for a trade but not making it impossible. However, it is likely that the Penguins will start the 2024-25 season with Jarry and Nedeljkovic as their goaltending tandem.
Another area of concern for the Penguins is their group of top-six forwards. While this group was mostly reliable in the 2022-23 season, they were far less consistent in the 2023-24 season. Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Jake Guentzel (who was traded on March 7) remained dependable, but the rest of the group struggled. Much of this decline was attributed to newcomer Reilly Smith and incumbent Rickard Rakell not meeting expectations.
Smith was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights, who were facing salary cap issues. He started strong with second-line center Evgeni Malkin but became inconsistent and finished the season on the third line. Rakell, on the other hand, never gained momentum after a slow start, leading to some disenchantment from Dubas. Smith has one year remaining on his contract with a $5 million salary cap hit and an eight-team no-trade clause, making it easier to move him compared to Rakell, who has four years left on his contract with the same cap hit and a similar no-trade clause. Regardless of whether they stay or are replaced, the Penguins need more consistent performance from their top-six forwards.
Perhaps the most significant question for the Penguins involves their captain, Sidney Crosby. On July 1, the Penguins can sign Crosby to a contract extension, which would likely allow him to finish his career with the team he has always played for. Crosby is known for his aversion to change, making it likely he will sign an extension. The primary question is the length of this new contract. As Crosby approaches his 37th birthday on August 7, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson is also entering the final year of his current contract. While not as vital as Crosby, Pettersson’s progress in recent years has positioned him as a key component of the team’s future beyond the 2024-25 season. The final details of potential contracts for both Crosby and Pettersson could be settled during this critical weekend.
