Jordan Charron Commits To University Of Massachusetts-Amherst
Rumors are floating around that the Los Angeles Kings could be getting an outdoor game in a Southern California beach setting, as written by Andy Tonge of Mayor’s Manor.
An idea which has been tossed around for over a decade, Tonge wrote that Santa Monica is a possibility, with the NHL reaching out to the city in the past, and talks turning more serious in recent months. Hypothetically it’s thought that the Lot 1 North parking lot, by the renowned pier, would be the landing spot. No date is in mind at this point but in all likelihood it would be sometime after next season.
Last January the Winter Classic took to Miami, not to be outdone by the Stadium Series a month later in Tampa. Unusually cold weather in the Bay worked to the league’s advantage that day, although more creativity was required for the New Year’s action at LoanDepot Park. The ice was modified, nearly doubling in thickness, with an extra mobile refrigeration unit.
A pair of breakthrough events in Florida which would have seemed impossible not long ago, concerns surrounding ice conditions as well as declining fan viewership have been a damper on outdoor games over the past several years. Still, it’s fun to speculate on the possibility of the Kings taking to the ice on the Pacific Ocean, with the iconic Ferris Wheel in the background, even if an exhibition.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Nashville Predators scouting meetings are underway as they prepare to walk on the stage at 10th overall next month in Buffalo. Assistant General Manager Jeff Kealty told Brooks Bratten, Beat Reporter, that the team could target their overall best player available, having a well stocked pool but craving high-end upside. Also featured in the article, Tom Nolan, Chief Amateur Scout, had high praise for forward prospect Wyatt Cullen whose father Matt played for the Predators at the tail end of his 1,516 game career. Brady Martin, their fifth overall selection last summer, was the team’s first top 10 selection since 2014. Somewhat hard to believe, in their entire history the Predators have drafted and developed just two forwards who went on to score 30 or more goals in a season for them; Viktor Arvidsson and Patric Hörnqvist, who were fourth and seventh rounders respectively. A franchise which has never bottomed out in their history, with no apparent plans to do so anytime soon, they must connect on some swings at the podium to reverse the trend.
- Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Jordan Charron committed to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, he shared on Instagram. A fifth round pick in last summer’s draft, the 6’2” winger notched 47 points in 66 games with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL, a teammate of the aforementioned Martin. With Charron into the fold, the Minutemen are up to six NHL-drafted prospects on their roster for next year. He came out of the gate blazing in his final OHL campaign, raising eyebrows with seven goals in his first six games. Already having a physical edge, if Charron’s scoring touch can continue to grow amidst the challenges of the collegiate game, the Ontario native has a real middle six upside for the Penguins.
Penguins Face Critical Offseason Following First-Round Exit
The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves at a familiar yet increasingly urgent crossroads. After a 2025-26 campaign that saw the club return to the postseason only to suffer a first-round exit, President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas faces an offseason defined by a massive $42.7 million in projected cap space and the looming free agency of franchise icon Evgeni Malkin.
The Malkin Question
The top priority for Pittsburgh is the future of Malkin, who turns 40 in July. Despite his age and a nagging shoulder injury that hampered his second half, Malkin remained productive, posting 61 points in 56 games. Dubas was vocal during his season-ending press conference about the desire to keep “Geno” in the only jersey he has ever worn.
“We would love to have him back,” Dubas stated, noting that the team’s younger players haven’t yet pushed well enough to displace a legend of Malkin’s caliber. The shift to the wing late in the season alongside Tommy Novak and Egor Chinakhov seemed to reduce the physical toll on Malkin, potentially providing a blueprint for a short-term extension.
The “Big Three” Legacy
As Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson enter the final years of their respective deals, the pressure to build a contender around them is immense. Dubas admitted that while the goal is to remain competitive, he must act in the “best interest of the Penguins,” even if it means making unpopular decisions regarding aging core members. For now, the focus remains on keeping the band together for one more run while carefully integrating the “NHL Pipeline” into the supporting cast.
Goaltending Transition
Pittsburgh’s crease is set for a significant overhaul. While veteran Stuart Skinner is a pending UFA and Arturs Silovs is an RFA, Dubas noted that a youth movement is imminent. The organization is high on prospects Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, both of whom are expected to compete for NHL roster spots this fall. Dubas indicated the team will likely retain one of the Skinner/Silovs duo to pair with a rookie, ensuring the “bridge” to the next generation of goaltending begins now.
Cap Flexibility vs. Long-Term Health
With over $40 million to play with, the Penguins are theoretically the biggest players in the free-agent market. However, Dubas preached extreme caution. While stars like Anthony Mantha (coming off a 33-goal season) are hitting the market, Dubas warned against “burning space long-term” on deals the team might regret by 2028.
The strategy appears to be a “pragmatic retool” rather than an aggressive spending spree. The team has already made minor moves, re-signing defenseman Ilya Solovyov ($850k) and forward Connor Dewar to shore up depth, suggesting Dubas will hunt for value rather than just high-priced stars.
Under The Radar 2025 UFA Signings That Stole The Show
Every NHL offseason, the biggest contracts get the biggest headlines. But by the time the calendar flips to spring, it’s often the quieter signings, the ones buried halfway down the free agent tracker, that end up paying the biggest dividends.
The 2025 class was no exception. While plenty of attention went to the marquee deals last July, some of the most impactful contracts in the league came from players who generated little fanfare on Day 1 of free agency. Low-risk gambles, bounce-back candidates, and cheap depth signings that turned into significant bargains for their teams. Here are three of them.
Justin Brazeau — Pittsburgh Penguins (2 years, $3MM / $1.5MM AAV)
When Kyle Dubas signed the 6-foot-6, 232-pound winger to a two-year deal at roughly the league minimum, the move drew little attention. Brazeau was coming off a 2024-25 season split between Boston and Minnesota in which he produced 11 goals and 22 points across 76 games. The signing appeared to fit a familiar profile, a depth forward brought in to provide size and fill out the bottom of the lineup.
His production told a different story. In 64 games, Brazeau recorded 17 goals and 34 points, matching his entire prior NHL career goal total (16) across 95 previous games. At a $1.5MM cap hit, he outproduced forwards who were making four times as much.
Daniel Vladař — Philadelphia Flyers (2 years, $6.7MM / $3.35MM AAV)
Of the three signings on this list, Vladař’s drew the most skepticism at the time. The Czech goaltender arrived in Philadelphia following several difficult seasons in Calgary, where he posted a cumulative -23 Goals Saved Above Average, via hocketstats.com. For a Flyers team that had struggled with team save percentage for several years, committing $6.7MM over two years to a goaltender with that trajectory raised questions across the league.
Valdař answered every one of them.
In a career-high 52 games, he posted a 2.42 goals-against average, .906 save percentage, and 13.8 goals saved above expected, per moneypuck.com. Year-over-year, that’s one of the largest single-season goaltending turnarounds in the league. His performance separated him as the Flyers’ true number one goaltender, and Vladař settled into the starter’s role within weeks of the season’s opening. He also earned his first Olympic appearance, winning his debut for Czech Republic.
His playoff performance reinforced the value of the contract. Vladař held Pittsburgh’s third-ranked offense (3.52 goals per game) to four goals on 74 shots over the first three games of their opening-round series, a .946 save percentage. He closed out the series with a 42-save shutout in Game 6, a 1-0 overtime win that gave Philadelphia its first playoff series victory since 2020. It is safe to say Philadelphia has found their starter.
Anthony Mantha — Pittsburgh Penguins (1 year, $2.5MM + bonuses)
Mantha didn’t just bounce back. He produced the best season of his career, and one of the most efficient contracts in the entire league.
The context of the deal made the production all the more notable. Mantha was coming off a 2024-25 season cut short by a torn ACL with Calgary. He was entering his age-31 season and had not produced 50 points in several years. Pittsburgh’s one-year, $2.5MM contract, with up to $2MM in performance bonuses, appeared structured as a reclamation deal, the kind of short-term agreement that often precedes a trade-deadline move.
Instead, through 81 games, Mantha recorded 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points, surpassing his previous career highs in both goals (25) and points (48) by significant margins.
Mantha had the most goals among all 2026 pending UFAs, and his cap hit translated to roughly $39k per point which was one of the most efficient rates in the league among forwards not on entry-level contracts.
His production was a central factor in Pittsburgh’s emergence as a playoff team, and he is projected to roughly double his cap hit this summer.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The 2026 free agent market is being written off before it even opens. Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, and Jack Eichel are gone, all locked up the season. What was once projected to be a historic UFA class has thinned into a market headlined by Alex Tuch, who many believe will resign with Buffalo, and a handful of aging wingers. The consensus is that there’s nothing left worth chasing.
The consensus said the same thing about Brazeau, Vladař, and Mantha twelve months ago.
Weak top ends are exactly where bargains get found. Last summer’s most valuable contracts came from players nobody was bidding against: reclamation projects, depth signings, and bounce-backs that quietly became some of the best deals in the league. This summer’s market may look bare on July 1, but the lesson from 2025 is clear, the bargains don’t disappear when the stars do. They just get harder to spot.
The Penguins Face A Challenging Summer With Kris Letang
The Penguins had a feel-good year, even if it ended in playoff disappointment against Philadelphia. Many of their young players took big steps in their development, and the team defied expectations and age to reach the postseason. But it wasn’t all roses and rainbows, as one of the Penguins’ older stars continued to see his play decline.
Kris Letang has been a member of the Big Three in Pittsburgh since breaking into the NHL in 2006-07 and is likely a future Hall of Famer. However, the 39-year-old isn’t the player he once was, and the Penguins need to have a serious conversation with him this summer to establish a role for next year that allows him to maximize his current abilities.
Pittsburgh deployed Letang as a top-four defenseman this year, playing him nearly 22 minutes a night in heavy minutes, including time on the penalty kill and the second-unit power play. The competitor in Letang no doubt loved that, but the results were inconsistent at best and downright dreadful at times.
This isn’t a new development either, as Letang has seen his play decline in consecutive seasons, posting the worst numbers in takeaways and turnovers of his career. Offensively, his numbers have also slipped: he posted just three goals and 27 assists in 74 games last year, for 34 points.
Analytically, Letang’s numbers have also declined, with his Corsi and Fenwick shares both falling below 50% in consecutive seasons for the first time in his career. In fact, his decline has become so glaring that Penguins head coach Dan Muse has sheltered Letang in a way he hasn’t before.
But as poor as Letang’s season was, he is still clearly an NHL defenseman and has the skill set to age gracefully well into his 40s as an NHL regular. In the last few games of the playoffs, Letang was phenomenal. However, in the first three games of the playoffs, he was a trainwreck. Therein lies the challenge Pittsburgh has with Letang.
The Penguins need to have a very hard conversation with Letang about several issues, mainly his style of play and his role in the hierarchy. Letang still plays the game as though he’s a 28-year-old in the prime of his career, forcing offense when it’s not there, pinching at inopportune times, and making high-risk plays.
28-year-old Letang had the skating, strength and speed to recover from his mistakes a decade ago, but that is no longer the case, and there has been no adjustment from Letang.
The Penguins have had three aging veterans to contend with in Letang, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby. While Crosby has defied the aging curve, Letang and the Penguins need to confront a reality they’ve been avoiding.
The Penguins can add defensive depth, as they have in recent years, but Pittsburgh needs a top-four right-shot defenseman to allow Letang to drop down the lineup to the third pairing. This would help Letang better manage his workload and role and perhaps extend his career.
Letang obviously means a lot to the Penguins, but do the Penguins want to go hunting for a top-four right-shot defenseman at a time when they’ve made it clear they’re looking towards the future? It’s possible that GM Kyle Dubas could swing a trade for a young top-four defenseman who has perhaps underperformed on their current team, but historically, such players are among the most expensive assets to acquire.
Would the Penguins do it simply to shelter Letang? The answer is maybe, but there would certainly need to be a long-term benefit if Dubas holds to his wish to look to the future.
The other major question mark in Pittsburgh concerns Malkin, who is a UFA in under two months. If “Geno” goes unsigned, do the Penguins go to Letang and offer him the chance to play elsewhere?
There are no indications that either side is interested in that, but would a Malkin exit open the door for Letang and the Penguins? It’s not likely, but it is an interesting thought.
However, if the Penguins re-sign Malkin, keeping Letang makes the most sense. The team should have an honest conversation about his play and how best to use him. Letang is a warrior who has played through injuries, personal tragedy, and enormous pressure, and it’s not necessarily his fault that Pittsburgh leaned so heavily on him last season.
If Pittsburgh were to find another top-four defender, it would likely limit Letang’s responsibility in the transition game, which should reduce his turnovers and perhaps alleviate some of the defensive lapses as well, given that Letang’s recovery speed isn’t what it used to be. Also, as previously mentioned, the reduction in minutes and the level of competition would drop, adding additional benefit to both the player and the team.
It’s hard to say how a personal conversation like that would go with Letang, but it’s likely the Penguins’ best course of action to get him to buy into their plan (if reducing his usage is the plan). The Penguins owe Letang some degree of loyalty, but at the end of the day, it is a business, and Kyle Dubas is paid handsomely to ice the best team he possibly can.
And if the plan is to maximize Crosby’s remaining elite years, the Penguins can’t afford to allow an aging defender to hurt them defensively simply because “he used to be great.” Dubas wasn’t there for Letang’s elite years and isn’t going to make his decisions based on past accomplishments.
There is a fine line between respecting a veteran and hesitating to move on, a trap that teams often fall into. GMs who are unemotional about this tend to be the best at assembling a competitive roster year after year (the Vegas Golden Knights, for example). That’s not to say the Penguins need to dump Letang, but they need to honestly evaluate the entire situation.
If Letang is open to a smaller role, that’s the best-case scenario. If he still sees himself as a top defenseman and intends to play that way, the Penguins have to seriously consider whether employing him in their top four makes sense going forward.
Great teams and players know when to evolve, and in this circumstance, both Letang and the Penguins have to do their best if they want to return to a winning culture.
Penguins Not Expected To Re-Sign Kevin Hayes
The Penguins are not expected to offer pending unrestricted free agent forward Kevin Hayes a contract extension before July 1, Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote last week.
Hayes, 34, arrived in Pittsburgh from St. Louis two summers ago in a cap-dump deal, with the Blues tossing in a second-round pick. That left the Pens taking on the final two years of the seven-year, $50MM anchor he landed from the Flyers in 2019 as a pending free agent. Philly was already on the hook for half his cap hit after retaining it in the trade that sent him to St. Louis in 2023.
Even for a reduced cap cost of $3.57MM, Hayes wasn’t providing great value. He was at least a semi-regular last season, offering some occasional secondary scoring and versatility as a bottom-six pivot, notching a 13-10–13 scoring line in 63 games.
Injuries became an increasing problem for Hayes this year, missing the first month of the season with an upper-body issue and missing a good chunk of March with one as well. In between them, though, he was still mostly a healthy scratch. He only suited up 28 times this year, with only seven of those coming after the Christmas break. Scoring four goals and eight points, his 0.29 points per game rate was the lowest of his 12 NHL seasons. His faceoff success took a nosedive, too, winning 40.3% of his draws after taking home a good 52.2% mark last year.
Hayes, once something of a trusted penalty-killer, has seen his defensive game decline for quite some time. That was the impetus for Philly shedding his contract three years ago. He still had 54 points in that final season as a Flyer, though, a mark he hasn’t come close to hitting since. With his impact as a scorer drying up, there’s little use for him left in any NHL lineup above a fourth-line role.
Beyond that, Pittsburgh has plenty of internal candidates looking to land bottom-six jobs (and even some press-box roles for a potential long-term depth candidate like Avery Hayes) in the fall. They’ve already moved to bring back fourth-line piece Connor Dewar and have restricted free agent Egor Chinakhov to re-sign as well, leaving them with 10 roster spots accounted for on one-way deals with entry-level players Benjamin Kindel and Rutger McGroarty being relative locks to take up two more. Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, and 2025 first-rounder Bill Zonnon will also be in the mix in camp.
Hayes’ limited showing this season was enough to help him clear the 800-game mark for his career. A first-rounder by the Blackhawks in 2010, he’s got a career 185-261–446 scoring line with the Rangers, Jets, Flyers, Blues, and Penguins. His positional versatility and experience might make him a fit somewhere for a league-minimum contract this summer, but a professional tryout or a deal overseas wouldn’t be surprising outcomes either.
Penguins Assign Bill Zonnon To AHL
One of Pittsburgh’s top prospects is set to get his first taste of the pros. Their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton announced that they’ve signed forward Bill Zonnon to a tryout agreement; despite the tryout designation, he will be permitted to play for them in the playoffs.
The 19-year-old was the 22nd overall selection last June out of QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda. In his draft year, Zonnon put up 28 goals and 55 assists in 64 games for the Huskies during the regular season and added 16 points in 13 playoff contests. Rated as a late first-rounder by many scouting lists, he wound up being selected a little higher than that with the first of two selections the Penguins acquired when they traded down from the 12th selection in a swap with Philadelphia.
Over the offseason, Zonnon was moved to Blainville-Boisbriand where he endured an injury-riddled campaign. That limited him to just 35 games during the regular season where he was quite productive, notching 14 goals and 32 helpers. That performance earned him an entry-level deal with Pittsburgh which begins next season.
In the playoffs, he put up just under a point per game with 15 in 17 appearances. Now, with the Armada eliminated, he’s eligible to go to the minors and join a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team that’s on the verge of moving on as they look to close out their series against Hershey tonight.
Poll: Which Active Players Will Become An NHL GM?
The connection between NHL playing careers and front office roles has existed for nearly as long as the league itself. Some of the most highly-regarded executives – from Glen Sather in the 1980s to Jim Nill today – began their journeys with a decade-or-more in NHL lineups. Looking at the league in 2025-26, there seems to be no shortage of potential NHL executives currently putting on the pads. The question is, which of them will make it to the big chair first?
A clear top candidate would be Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby – the face of the NHL for much of the last 20 years. Crosby has become synonymous with North American hockey through his historical playing career, while learning from player-turned-owner and fellow all-time-great Mario Lemieux. That leadership could soon be invaluable. Crosby will face the question of if he should play on, or if now is the time to call it quits, in the second half of next season. If he wants to prolong his time on an NHL payroll beyond his time in the lineup, he could have a great chance to learn under Kyle Dubas and alongside Jason Spezza in the Penguins front office.
Another strong candidate for a GM role will be Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. Former NHL GM Brian Burke recently said as much on The Sheet With Jeff Marek while speaking to how much he admires Landeskog’s professionalism. There is no doubt about the Avalanche star’s commitment to the game, most notably highlighted by his triumphant return from a severe knee injury. Landeskog played through that injury during Colorado’s run to the 2022 Stanley Cup. On the other side of his return, he continues to serve as a versatile and effective playmaker who can shine off without top-line minutes. He is currently part of a three-way tie for second on the Avalanche in playoff scoring with seven points in six games. With that kind of impact, there will be plenty of hockey ahead for the 33 year old, who is signed through the 2028-29 season. But when his career nears its end, a door to team management could quickly open.
Prior playing experience could also open the door for more European representation in front office roles. Landeskog would become the second Swedish GM in NHL history, while a player like Anze Kopitar could shoot to become the first from central Europe should he choose that path. Kopitar is hanging up his skates after the Los Angeles Kings’ exit from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had the third-most games played of any active NHL player this season. Every single one of those games came in a Kings’ jersey, with Kopitar captaining the team through the final 10 seasons of his career. All-time goals record holder Alex Ovechkin has also spent the entirety of his career with one team and could wield the experience needed to become the league’s first Russian GM.
Of course, playing success does not create a top exec – and many of the league’s top leaders could also have a chance. Longtime pros Jaccob Slavin, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan O’Reilly, and Aleksander Barkov have all been recognized for their sportsmanship with the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The trophy was also handed out to former Avalanche GM Joe Sakic and soon-to-be-former Seattle Kraken GM Ron Francis. Its recognition of on-and-off-ice impact would stand out on any resume, especially next to the Stanley Cup precedent that MacKinnon, O’Reilly, and Barkov boast. It is also a feat managed multiple times by Kopitar, who could win the trophy again this season.
Many players around the league could put together a strong case for a managerial role. Who will do it first? Who will find another long career in the role? Vote for your choice below and use the comments to make a case for other players!
Which Active Players Will Become An NHL GM?
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PIT - Sidney Crosby 35% (217)
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COL - Gabriel Landeskog 33% (204)
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LAK - Anze Kopitar 14% (84)
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Other (Comment below) 12% (75)
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COL - Nathan MacKinnon 5% (33)
Total votes: 613
Penguins Sign Ilya Solovyov To One-Year Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Ilya Solovyov to a one‑year contract extension carrying a cap hit of $850K for the 2026–27 season. The deal keeps the 25‑year‑old in the organization for another year after he split the 2025–26 campaign between the Colorado Avalanche and the Penguins.
Solovyov appeared in 30 NHL games this season, the most of his young career. He opened the year with the Avalanche, recording three points (1G–2A) in 16 games before being acquired by Pittsburgh, where he added five assists in 14 contests while averaging 14:06 ATOI.
The extension comes after Solovyov set career highs across the board in games played (30), goals (1), assists (7), and points (8). He also made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, appearing in three postseason games for Pittsburgh and giving the coaching staff a first look at how his game translates in higher‑leverage situations.
Originally drafted by Calgary in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Solovyov has taken a gradual development path through the AHL. He has logged 232 career AHL games with the Calgary Wranglers and Colorado Eagles, producing 69 points (18G–51A) and establishing himself as a reliable, physical defender capable of handling heavy minutes. He has also appeared in 22 Calder Cup Playoff games, adding four points.
Before arriving in North America, Solovyov spent the 2020–21 season in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk, posting nine points in 41 games.
For Pittsburgh, the extension provides organizational stability and a cost‑effective depth option as the club continues to reshape its blue line. Solovyov’s size (6‑foot‑3, 208 pounds), defensive play, and ability to play either at the NHL level or anchor minutes in the AHL make him a useful, cost-effective piece for a team that relied heavily on call‑ups throughout the 2025–26 season.
Penguins Sign Connor Dewar To Two-Year Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting a head start on returning some of their depth players from this past season. According to a team announcement, the Penguins have signed forward Connor Dewar to a two-year, $4.5MM ($2.25MM AAV) extension.
There’s little argument that he doesn’t deserve the raise. Pittsburgh acquired Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs at last year’s deadline, and the team signed him to a one-year, $1.1MM contract last summer.
He took that opportunity and ran with it. Much like the rest of his peers, Dewar played a role in the Penguins’ rejuvination this season, finishing with the best individual performance of his career. In 78 games, Dewar scored 14 goals and 30 points with a +16 rating, averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per game.
The closest he had ever come to that production was during the 2023-24 season with the Minnesota Wild and the Maple Leafs. In 74 games that season, Dewar tallied 11 goals and 19 points in 74 contests, though much of that production came in Minnesota. Typically in a bottom-six role throughout his career, Dewar proved that he could be a key tertiary contributor in a middle-six role this season.
Despite being eliminated by their intra-state rivals in Round One of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, Dewar kept up his solid play in the postseason. In six games, the Manitoba native scored two goals with 19 hits, averaging 13:49 of ice time.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Penguins can afford Dewar similar ice time next season. Pittsburgh already has 10 forwards signed through the 2026-27 campaign, and will likely attempt to promote more prospects to the NHL for a further injection of youth. The Penguins need to focus on reducing the number of bubble forwards on their roster. However, it’s already evident that they are pleased to keep players like Dewar, who displays a strong work ethic and can make valuable contributions to the lower lines of the forward group.
Latest On Evgeni Malkin
- One player whose future has come under immense scrutiny in the aftermath of his team’s playoff exit has been Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin. It’s unclear whether the future Hall of Fame pivot will continue his career in Pittsburgh. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported this morning that Malkin’s representatives will reach out to Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to set up more substantial talks on Malkin’s future. Malkin’s camp, led by J.P. Barry of CAA, will no doubt be hoping to secure an agreement to keep Malkin in Pittsburgh for what is most likely going to be his final campaign in the NHL.