Offseason Checklist: Pittsburgh Penguins
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs, plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Pittsburgh.
No one expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to make the playoffs this year, but thanks to some sly front-office work by Kyle Dubas and company, the team hit on most of their moves and skated into the playoffs. It wasn’t a long playoff run, but it was likely enough to show Dubas and the Penguins’ management team that the roster they have now isn’t far from competing in the Eastern Conference. Despite Pittsburgh being a nice story, the team is still quite old, and most of their key players are on the wrong side of 30, which means they need to find young stars to move into top roles on the roster. With Dubas at the helm, the Penguins could be poised for a big summer.
Add A Top Four Defenseman
Pittsburgh relied on a ragtag top-four defensive unit last year, leaning heavily on Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, and Parker Wotherspoon, occasionally using Ryan Shea, Brett Kulak, and Samuel Girard to close the year. While Wotherspoon and Karlsson were an excellent pairing, Girard and Letang struggled and probably aren’t best suited for second-pairing duty on a team with playoff aspirations. Letang is best suited for a third-pairing role, or, if he is forced into top-four duty, he needs a defensively responsible, safe partner like Kulak was.
It will be interesting to see whether the Penguins circle back on Kulak this summer, but given Dubas’ mandate to build a younger roster, it’s hard to imagine him pursuing a 32-year-old projected to get a three-year deal this offseason. The Penguins need a top-four defender this summer, preferably one in his mid-20s. Pittsburgh management is high on prospect Harrison Brunicke, but it’s tough to envision him taking on that assignment as a rookie.
It’s likely the Dubas will need to look outside the organization for help on this front, and in terms of unrestricted free agents, there isn’t much available that would fit what the Penguins are looking for. Mario Ferraro is an option if Pittsburgh were looking for a defensive defenseman capable of filling a top-four role, but he may not be the optimal choice. Although he is a decent puck carrier and, at 27 years old, fits the Penguins’ timeline, his contract is projected to be north of $5MM annually on a four-year deal, and that number could go up should a bidding war start. The Penguins already have one contract on the books for left-handed defensive defenseman Ryan Graves, and it is arguably the worst deal in Penguins history (although Jack Johnson’s is up there as well). Graves was signed on the first day of free agency in 2023, and Dubas likely learned his lesson from chasing high-priced defensive rearguards in free agency.
All signs point to the trade market as the best option for Pittsburgh, and they have plenty of assets they could move, including draft picks and prospects. Bowen Byram of Buffalo would be a possible target for the Penguins, but he reportedly likes Buffalo, and the Sabres would like to keep him long term. At 24 years of age, Byram is uber-talented and offers many of the intangibles teams are looking for. However, in the years that followed the 2022 Stanley Cup, he struggled to put it all together, leaving a sizeable gap between his skill set and his on-ice play. This past year, he was much better, setting a career high in points with 42 in 82 games. Despite all of this, Byram might be a target for the Penguins to steer clear of given the trade costs and the financial costs of his future contract.
Braden Schneider of the New York Rangers and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils are two more defensemen who could be on the move this offseason, but it’s hard to envision the Rangers and Devils sending young, emerging defenders to a division rival. The Rangers are the likelier of the two to do so, having sent K’Andre Miller to the Hurricanes last summer in a blockbuster deal. Schneider would be a gamble for Pittsburgh, as he hasn’t quite taken the big step the Rangers were hoping he could take, but at this point, he could probably serve as Girard’s partner on a second pairing. There are major warts to Schneider’s game, and whatever he gets paid on his next contract will exceed his actual impact on the ice. Schneider is neither poised nor skilled with the puck, which is a problem for a team paying him $6MM, which is what a long-term deal will look like right now. That being said, in Pittsburgh, head coach Dan Muse’s style of play might benefit Schneider, as it relies more on short, higher-percentage passing rather than long breakout passes.
Nemec’s warts are on the defensive side, but he has a ton of offensive upside. If Pittsburgh were to acquire him to play in their top four, they would also need to find a defensive left-shot partner to support Nemec as he figures out his play in his own end. Given that Girard and Letang are not that type, the Penguins are unlikely to pursue the 22-year-old.
Finally, there is Olen Zellweger, a fantastic transition defender for the Anaheim Ducks who might fall victim to the numbers game out West. The smooth-skating puck mover is far from a finished product and needs work on both sides of the puck. This leaves him third on Anaheim’s depth chart, behind Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov. With a pending cap crunch in Anaheim, he might be squeezed out. The issue for Pittsburgh is that Zellweger is undersized and is almost a carbon copy of Girard, albeit quite a bit younger. It’s possible the Penguins could acquire him and move Girard to the third pairing, but pairing Zellweger with Letang feels like a recipe for disaster, given Girard and Letang’s results from this past year.
Find A 2C
The Penguins have decent depth down the middle of the ice, with Sidney Crosby centering the first line, followed by Thomas Novak, Benjamin Kindel, and Blake Lizotte. The weak link in that chain is on the second line, where Novak isn’t an ideal fit and would be better suited to a bottom-six role. Kindel is probably a bit ripe for a 2C role, but he likely will move into it in the next couple of seasons. The Penguins also have Evgeni Malkin remaining in the fold, but asking a 40-year-old with two bad knees to play second-line center for 82 games is a ridiculous ask. A second-line center would give Pittsburgh a formidable top six and either push Novak into a role better suited to his skill set or allow the Penguins to move him for other assets.
It’s easy to talk about acquiring a top-six center, but much harder to do so, especially for Dubas, who isn’t going to target older players and would much rather grab a younger one. The cost to acquire this type of player will be exorbitant, as many teams are trying to beef up the middle of the ice on their own teams. Some folks will float the name of Vincent Trocheck because of his connection to the city of Pittsburgh, but given that he is 32, it doesn’t fit the Penguins’ long-term plans.
Two St. Louis Blues players come to mind, with Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou both mentioned in trade discussions. For the Penguins, either player would make sense given their age, contract status, and talent level, but Thomas would probably be the better fit. The 26-year-old has been a point-per-game player for the better part of five seasons and could slot into the Penguins’ depth chart behind Crosby and play with Malkin and Egor Chinakhov. The issue for Pittsburgh would be the cost, which might start with Kindel, a non-starter if you are the Penguins. That makes this trade unlikely, but if Thomas’ market falls and Pittsburgh could use other prospects and draft picks to make a move, you have to imagine that Dubas would be in on Thomas. Kyrou should be easier to acquire, given that he is a few years older than Thomas and struggled last season. But those two years might be enough to push Dubas to look elsewhere rather than pursue an expensive, underperforming 28-year-old.
Speaking of an expensive, underperforming 28-year-old, Auston Matthews is a name forever tied to Dubas after their time together in Toronto. Matthews has had a tumultuous few seasons in Toronto, and it’s fair to wonder whether it’s time for him and the Maple Leafs to get together and find a new place for him to play. For their part, both the team and Matthews have said they want to continue the relationship, but with two years left on his contract and a poor showing last season, things could change in a hurry. If Toronto were to make Matthews available, Pittsburgh would be one of the more logical landing spots for the former Hart Trophy winner. The Penguins have the assets to make a trade and the cap space to absorb Matthews’ $13.25MM cap hit. But does Dubas have the will to give up his best future assets for a player pushing 30? It’s hard to say, but given the past relationship, it’s not completely out of the question. Matthews would solve some problems in Pittsburgh, and becoming just one of the guys might be best for him, but does the team have enough around him to win if they trade away many of their future top picks and prospects?
Figure Out Erik Karlsson’s Future
Last summer, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Karlsson would be dealt, but the Penguins held on to him, and he was their most important player this season, willing them into the playoffs when Malkin and Crosby missed time in late February and March. The 36-year-old has one year left on his contract, counting $10MM against the Penguins cap (and an additional $1.5MM against the San Jose Sharks cap), and will need a new contract if the Penguins hope to keep him beyond this season. What a new contract will look like remains to be seen, but AFP Analytics has him pegged for a three-year extension worth $6.628MM per season. Karlsson had 15 goals and 51 assists in 75 games this year and significantly cut down on turnovers while playing some of the best defense of his career. Pittsburgh may opt to wait things out on an extension, the way they did with Malkin, but there is one other option on the table, although it’s a limited one.
The Penguins could try to shop Karlsson as they did last summer, but given his age, cap hit, and no-movement clause, it will not be an easy trade to make. It’s hard to say how many teams Karlsson would be open to moving to, but it wouldn’t be many, and he appears to enjoy playing with Crosby and company. There is also the fact that Pittsburgh doesn’t have anything close to a Karlsson in the pipeline. Letang is their next-best option, and he struggled last season and probably needs a lighter workload.
The best move for the Penguins this summer is likely to stand pat with Karlsson and look to extend him during the season if his play remains strong. Trading him away would create too big a hole in the lineup, and extending him too soon could lock Pittsburgh into a regrettable long-term deal with a player approaching 40.
Get Younger
The Penguins’ lineup has become considerably younger in recent seasons, but their top players remain on the wrong side of 30. In fact, Pittsburgh’s top six scorers were all over 30, and their seventh-best scorer (Novak) is 29. It’s a glaring issue in the Penguins’ retool that they haven’t found high-end prospects or young players to mix in with their aging stars, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t found talented impact players. Chinakhov looks like a rising star, and if he can build on last season’s success, he could become a cornerstone piece. The same could be said for Kindel, whose abilities seem to have no limits. Those two make up a solid part of the core, but neither has the feel of a franchise player, though their development path will ultimately decide that.
Among the Penguins’ prospects, goaltender Sergei Murashov could become a superstar and is likely to be an NHL regular next season alongside several other Pittsburgh prospects, such as Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, and perhaps Tristan Broz. That is a nice starting point for the Penguins’ prospect pool, but it’s still missing those top-end options.
Dubas’ biggest long-term need is the one that will be the toughest to acquire: a player he can build his entire team around. It’s going to be difficult because the Penguins are seemingly too good right now to bottom out and get a top draft pick, and other teams are pushing hard to lock up young talent long term. That doesn’t mean future impact players won’t become available; it just means that Dubas, Wes Clark and company will need to do extra due diligence to find a young impact player who has slipped through the cracks at another organization. Easier said than done, but that is why Dubas is one of the highest-paid executives in the NHL.
Photo by Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Penguins Goalie Update, Future With Skinner, Silovs, Murashov
The Penguins do not have a goalie for the 2026-27 season…yet.
They do, actually, but regarding the two NHL goaltenders that finished this past NHL season for them, both aren’t under contract, and that could be the case moving forward. According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, Pittsburgh is weighing a few of its options in the crease at PPG Paints Arena for next year. Stuart Skinner appears to be on his way to free agency when July 1 comes around, but that isn’t the Penguins’ only path, per Yohe.
The 27-year-old Skinner is an unrestricted free agent, coming off a 27-game stint in Pittsburgh, having posted a 2.99 goals against average and an .885 save percentage in black and gold. Among goaltenders with three playoff games, he finished 15th out of 18 goalies in goals against average (3.08) and second-last in save percentage (.873).
His Penguins stretch came in the latter half of his 2025-26 season. Prior to the Oilers trading him with Brett Kulak in December of 2025 for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin, he had a 2.83 GAA and an .891 SV% in Edmonton. He also amassed 8.3 goals saved above expected, which was nearly ten stops higher than his -1.5 GSAx tally in 51 games with the Oilers last season.
Pittsburgh leadership loved Skinner as a locker room presence and considered him good enough for his performance; however, one should consider the future in two ways. Yes, Skinner brought major playoff experience to a team that is trying to maximize its elder core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson, but it’s doubtful he’ll settle for his previous cap hit of $2.6MM from his four-year contract with Edmonton signed back in 2022 on the open market.
The other goalie to consider is pending restricted free agent Arturs Silovs. The 25-year-old Latvian is coming off a two-year deal at $1.7MM ($850K AAV) and saw 39 games in 2025-26. He averaged a 3.07 goals against and an .888 save percentage, adding on a -11.9 goals saved above expected (89th in 2025-26), which is not the most attractive stat line. However, Silovs rebounded in the playoffs with a 1.52 GAA (2nd in postseason) and a .939 SV%, salvaging two wins for the Penguins before the Flyers’ lone goal in Game 6 ended the season for Pittsburgh.
One certainty seems to ring true with the Penguins: Sergei Murashov is ready for the NHL next season. The 22-year old spent the majority of his year with the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton club, but also saw five NHL games with Pittsburgh. He ended the regular season with a 24-9-4 record, a 2.20 goals against average, and a .919 save percentage (both 3rd in AHL). The AHL Penguins are currently in the midst of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Marlies, and Murashov has averaged below two goals against a game and, through 12 contests, has posted a .936 SV%.
Murashov is set to end 2026-27 as a restricted free agent, which will be after the third season of his entry-level contract signed back in 2024. The Yaroslavl, Russia native has been under the Penguins organization since they drafted him in the 2022 fourth round at 118th overall. The Penguins have liked his development since he crossed the pond, and according to Yohe, he is on pace to be in between the pipes next season.
So, do you trade Silovs’ rights while the value is high and the NHL is in a window where goaltending is a need for teams? Do you let Skinner go to free agency and re-sign Silovs for less money? Do you keep Skinner, raising the annual number on his paycheck with a lengthy extension to tandem with the young rookie? Kyle Dubas has a load of cap space, around $37.8MM to work with, and a goalie room that shows promise, but how will he play it as the summer progresses?
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Multiple Players Have NHL Draft Rights Expire
According to PuckPedia, multiple prospects had their draft rights expire at the deadline today, meaning they’ll re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft or become unrestricted free agents.
Two distinct groups are impacted by this deadline. Prospects playing in the Canadian Major Junior leagues (OHL, QMJHL, or WHL) or those playing in Europe.
Of those players from the CHL who have played through their age-20 seasons, they’ll re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft, or become unrestricted free agents if they go undrafted. For the European players, they’ll become unrestricted free agents, though many typically stay in Europe to continue their professional careers.
The only other prospect whose draft rights expired, and didn’t meet either of the above requirements, was Toronto Maple Leafs 2025 draftee Matthew Hlacar. Hlacar was taken with the 217th overall pick of last year’s draft, and scored six goals and 12 points in 51 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers this season. Toronto didn’t issue him a bona fide offer, which is simply tendering the player a league-minimum, entry-level deal to extend their signing rights.
The remaining prospects who will re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft or become UFAs are as follows:
D Ales Cech (Mammoth, 5-153, 2024)
D Simon Forsmark (Hurricanes, 4-101, 2022)
F Max Graham (Penguins, 5-139*, 2024)
F Petr Hauser (Oilers, 5-141**, 2022)
F Nils Juntorp (Hurricanes, 6-188***, 2022)
F Gustav Karlsson (Sabres, 6-187, 2022)
F Maximilian Kilpinen (Red Wings, 4-129, 2022)
D Kasper Kulonummi (Predators, 3-84, 2022)
F Hunter Laing (Flames, 6-170, 2024)
G Ryerson Leenders (Sabres, 7-219, 2024)
D Nathan Mayes (Maple Leafs, 7-225, 2024)
G Landon Miller (Red Wings, 4-126, 2024)
F Kaden Pitre (Lightning, 6-181, 2024)
F Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson (Sabres, 7-202, 2022)
F Santeri Sulku (Flyers, 7-197, 2022)
D Albin Sundin (Oilers, 6-183, 2024)
F Riku Tohila (Blackhawks, 7-199, 2022)
G Jakub Vondras (Hurricanes, 6-171, 2022)
* Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils; traded to the Penguins in March 2025.
** Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils; traded to the Oilers in March 2025.
*** Originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks; traded to the Hurricanes in January 2025.
Penguins Sign Evgeni Malkin To One-Year Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed future Hall of Fame center Evgeni Malkin to a one-year contract extension, per a team announcement. The deal contains an AAV of $5.5MM.
According to Chris Johnston of The Athletic, Malkin can exceed his $5.5MM guarantee by earning up to $500K in games played bonuses, $1MM if the Penguins reach the playoffs, and $500K for each playoff round the team wins. The contract also contains a full no-move clause. PuckPedia has reported the deal contains a $3MM signing bonus.
Malkin’s extension puts an end to what was months of speculation about his Penguins future.
Just this morning, we covered reports indicating that Malkin’s sights were set on an extension with Pittsburgh, and that he was unlikely to be headed elsewhere. This represented a distinct shift from what had been reported over the last year.
A year ago, Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported that the 2025-26 season would be Malkin’s “last in Pittsburgh.” He cited sources within the organization who indicated that the Penguins were “not expected to offer him another contract with the franchise.”
It seems Malkin’s performance this past year, as well as the Penguins’ surprisingly strong regular season, changed the organization’s thinking.
Malkin, who turns 40 at the end of July, seemed to turn back the clock in 2025-26. He scored 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games, his first season pacing at above a point-per-game rate since 2022-23. The Penguins endured a difficult series against their arch-rival Philadelphia Flyers, losing in six games in the first round, but that doesn’t erase what he was able to accomplish in the regular season.
The key question for Malkin is health. While he was perfectly healthy in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he has missed some time in each of the last two years. In 2024-25, he played in 68 games, and this past year was limited by upper-body injuries as well as a lengthy five-game suspension. Malkin’s on-ice qualities remain exceptional, but there has been concern about his ability to stay on the ice, as well as how his on-ice value will fare if the pace of his game slows further.
Pittsburgh appears determined to turn over their team to a new generation of young forwards, including promising rookie center Ben Kindel. Much of the prior reporting indicating Pittsburgh was hesitant to extend Malkin can likely be explained by the organization’s desire to carve out as much ice time and prime power play opportunities for its young forwards.
But Malkin showed he still has quite a lot to offer in the NHL, and the Penguins don’t have to pick between keeping Malkin and developing their young players – they can do both. Kindel, for example, could stand to benefit from another season sharing the ice and locker room with Malkin.
Now, he’ll get the chance to do so as the Penguins have elected to keep one of their two legendary centers for an additional season.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Morning Notes: Malkin, Kane, Pronger
Some familiar names from the 2000’s have circulated recently in the hockey world.
The biggest is one who, as expected, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Evgeni Malkin is not likely to sign anywhere but Pittsburgh, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The long-time Russian star turns 40 a month after free agency opens on July 31, and his agent, J.P. Barry, has already been in discussions with the Pittsburgh Penguins about coming back on a one-year deal. The length appears to be consistent with both parties, but now it comes down to the question of how much money Malkin is to be paid.
Malkin is coming off the final season of a four-year contract worth $24.4MM ($6.1MM AAV). He finished his age-39 season with 19 goals for 61 points in a season where he played just 56 games, finishing fifth on Pittsburgh in scoring. That tally puts him at a cost of $100k per point, however, because of his contract being frontloaded, his $4.8MM in total salary from 2025-26 is likely where LeBrun believes the Penguins want to begin their number, while Malkin’s camp wants to start around his previous cap hit. It’s not out of the question that if Pittsburgh, who carries $42.5MM in cap space, wants to save as much as they can among their eight free agents and beyond, they can give Malkin performance bonuses to hinder the AAV on the contract.
Additional notes include:
- According to Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now, Patrick Kane‘s name has emerged as the potential lone unrestricted free agent that the Detroit Red Wings could be considered in re-signing in Hockeytown. The all-time American star finished with 57 points in 67 games in his third consecutive one-year contract with the Wings that paid him $3MM in his age 37 season. Kane’s cost per point carried a low $53K that Detroit would hope to continue benefiting from. If true, general manager Steve Yzerman will be parting ways with forwards David Perron and James van Riemsdyk, as well as defenseman Travis Hamonic and goaltender Cam Talbot. Simon Edvinsson is the lone defensive restricted free agent, and with $32.6MM in cap space to spare, a chunk of that will head towards the young Swede’s future paycheck.
- Allen’s tweet in particular referenced that van Riemsdyk’s spot, which fluctuated in many spots on the wing, would be filled by a younger player. Perhaps Carter Mazur (8 GP in 2025-26), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (14 GP in 2025-26), and even Nate Danielson (28 GP in 2025-26) can compete for more ice time if this development comes to fruition.
- Chris Pronger interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs president of Hockey operations role, he confirmed as a guest on TSN 1050’s OverDrive show. The 51-year-old said that he had a good conversation about the team’s direction and his thoughts on their needs with MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelly. While he received positive feedback for his discussions, Toronto ultimately went for their options in John Chayka and Mats Sundin. Pronger previously denied rumors that he was interviewing for the Leafs GM role on another TSN show. The Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, while working in media right now, isn’t opposed to a front office role but emphasized that it needs to be a situation that is right for him to take a new opportunity.
Beauchesne Commits to Boston College
The Boston College Eagles continue their aggressive roster reconstruction for the 2026-27 season, announcing a commitment from promising defenseman Quinn Beauchesne. The 19-year-old Ottawa native arrives at “The Heights” as a major boost to a defense corps looking to reload after the departure of key veteran talent to the professional ranks.
Beauchesne, a right-shot blueliner standing 6-foot-0, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. He comes to the collegiate level following a productive three-year tenure with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
During his final campaign with the Storm in 2025-26, Beauchesne set career highs with seven goals and 28 assists for 35 points in 56 games. He’s known for his high-end skating, navigating defensive pressure, managing zone exits, and being a reliable presence at the point. Earlier this spring, he gained his first look at professional hockey after signing an ATO with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
His arrival at Boston College is expected to be immediate. Head coach Greg Brown, who has successfully integrated several CHL talents into his system recently, likely envisions Beauchesne playing a significant role in his defensive rotation, potentially even stepping into a power-play quarterback role. As the Eagles look to maintain their status as a premier NCAA powerhouse, the addition of a drafted, experienced defender like Beauchesne serves as a cornerstone move in their ongoing defensive rebuild.
Could The Penguins Weaponize Their Cap Space Once Again?
When Kyle Dubas took over the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023, the team had very little in the way of prospects or draft pick capital. They also had an aging, expensive core that had just missed the playoffs and were about the least appealing general manager job in the entire NHL. That first summer, Dubas attempted to retool the team, adding veterans such as defensemen Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves, as well as forwards Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. The strategy failed as the Penguins struggled throughout the season, and by the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, they were sellers, trading star forward Jake Guentzel, which kicked off what many thought would be a rebuild. But Dubas used a different strategy and began weaponizing his cap space to retool the team by taking on aging veterans with bad contracts, as well as underperforming vets who were looking to rebuild their stock. Now, with the Penguins coming off a postseason appearance, is Dubas done taking on these contracts, or will he once again try to acquire bad contracts and draft picks with an eye towards the future?
To understand the strategy being discussed, one must look back to July 1st, 2024, when the Penguins acquired Kevin Hayes from the St. Louis Blues. Initially, it was a head-scratcher, as the Penguins didn’t look like a team that would add veterans to their lineup. Once the full trade details were released, Dubas’ thinking became clear: the Penguins walked away with a second-round pick. Dubas deployed the same tactic when he acquired Cody Glass from the Nashville Predators, netting two draft picks. He then used it again in 2025, acquiring Matt Dumba and a second-round pick from the Dallas Stars, as well as Connor Clifton and, you guessed it, a second-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres. These trades were all big wins for Pittsburgh in terms of paying out a bloated contract and collecting picks, but they did nothing for their current NHL roster, with the exception of Glass, who was shipped to the Devils for more draft picks at the trade deadline in 2025.
At the time of those moves, Dubas didn’t have a ton of cap space, but he had enough to get creative. This summer, he is holding north of $40MM in available cap space and could use the same tactic again, but will he? The free agent market is thin, with very few available impact players and quite a few teams with cap space. This could make Dubas’ play a bit of a tough sell, as other teams might pivot to his strategy to scoop up extra picks and prospects if they don’t plan to spend their cap space anyway. But there are a number of teams in cap trouble (Vegas, Dallas, Colorado, and Edmonton) that would probably love to shed a bad contract or two if the price is right.
Edmonton would surely love to dump the two years left on goaltender Tristan Jarry’s contract, but the likelihood of Pittsburgh taking him back is slim to say the least, even if it would be poetic. The same could be said for Dallas, which would probably like to dump Tyler Seguin and Ilya Lyubushkin’s contracts. There are always teams desperate to open up space, and for the last two years they’ve called Dubas and the Penguins.
With all of that being said, there is one other big factor that could influence Dubas’ decision on how to allocate cap space, and that is what if he wants to make some big acquisitions to improve the team for this upcoming season? There might not be a lot of UFAs on the market, but there are a pile of big names who could be on the move, including Jason Robertson, who is an RFA, as well as Auston Matthews, Elias Pettersson and more. All of those aforementioned players make north of $10MM annually, or, in the case of Robertson, will make north of $10MM, and that is a number the Penguins could easily absorb.
But there are a few major reasons that Pittsburgh could pursue a blend of acquiring big names and taking on veterans on bad contracts. They simply have so much cap space, and Dubas has already said he doesn’t want to blow it all on long-term, win-now moves that will box him in financially a few years from now. Dubas is keenly aware that the Penguins aren’t likely to be a Stanley Cup contender next season, and the prospects in the Penguins system aren’t all arriving at once, meaning they will come in waves (or at least that’s what Dubas hopes). There is a very real possibility that Dubas takes on short-term vets who can still play but are overpaid, and also lets his prospects develop in key roles.
It’s a strategy that has paid off handsomely for the Penguins thus far, and one that other teams might start to use as well if they are in a position to do so. A good indication of that is the Chicago Blackhawks taking on Andrew Mangiapane’s contract for this upcoming season as part of the Jason Dickinson move at the deadline. This could drive down the price Dubas receives for taking on bad contracts in the future, but there is no shortage of bad NHL contracts, and Dubas could continue to acquire them as he tries to build the Penguins into a long-term Stanley Cup contender.
Owen Pickering Day-To-Day In Calder Cup Playoffs
- Penguins top prospect Owen Pickering is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, reported by Tony Androckitis in an article shared on Inside AHL Hockey. Missing a deciding Game 5 in the Atlantic Division Finals, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins came away with a resounding 8-1 win, vaulting them to the Conference Finals as they await their opponent, either the Cleveland Monsters or the Toronto Marlies. It was impressive work considering that the 2021 first rounder is the “Baby Penguins” top defenseman, skating in 68 games and leading all blueliners with 28 points. Pickering stepped right into the NHL in 2024-25 with 24 games, but since then Pittsburgh has been more focused on his long-term development, as he made just four NHL appearances in 2025-26. His WBS Penguins have the chance to return to the Calder Cup Finals for the first time since 2008, as a franchise who has never taken home the AHL title.
Senators Eyeing External Backup Goaltender Acquisition
While free agency is still more than a month away, that isn’t stopping teams from starting to put together their offseason wish lists. To that end, an upgrade at the backup goalie position is an obvious item for the Senators. Leevi Merilainen (a pending restricted free agent) struggled mightily early on in the season and while James Reimer (a pending unrestricted free agent) was a serviceable midseason replacement, they should be setting their sights higher heading into the summer.
With that in mind, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that one of the netminders they’re expected to consider is pending UFA goaltender Stuart Skinner. He added that there is a belief that the veteran will be one of their top targets in free agency, especially with the expectation that he won’t return to Pittsburgh.
Skinner had established himself as the starting goaltender for several years, at least for most of that stretch. He was surpassed at times when he struggled but found his way back before long to the number one role. The 27-year-old helped lead the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, although they lost both times.
Edmonton opted to keep their goalie tandem intact from last spring, a decision that ultimately didn’t work out. Skinner was inconsistent to start the season and was ultimately moved to Pittsburgh with the hopes that Tristan Jarry would be an upgrade. (That wound up not being the case.) Meanwhile, following the swap, he held his own in the back half of the year with the Penguins, posting a 2.99 GAA with a .885 SV% in 27 starts and played the first three games of their first-round loss to Philadelphia.
Skinner certainly isn’t going to be entering the UFA market as a sure-fire starting goaltender but the fact he has logged starter’s minutes would be appealing to a team like Ottawa. While the Sens have a number one in Linus Ullmark, he has never played 50 games in a season before. That makes getting someone capable of making 30-plus starts more important so Skinner would fit the bill.
It appears Ottawa GM Steve Staios isn’t just considering free agent options, however. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that Sabres goaltender Devon Levi is a name of interest for the Senators.
Levi was once viewed as Buffalo’s goalie of the future, especially after a strong showing in college and a 2023 debut that nearly led the Sabres to a playoff spot. But things haven’t gone well since then with the team ultimately deciding the following two years that more time in the minors would be beneficial. Coming into this season, the 24-year-old had a 3.29 GAA and a .894 SV% in 39 career NHL appearances.
He didn’t add to those totals in 2025-26. In his final year of waiver exemption, Levi played exclusively with AHL Rochester, posting a 2.83 GAA and a .904 SV% in 52 games. The 24-year-old is signed for next season already with his $812.5K AAV checking in below the minimum salary which will make him appealing.
With Buffalo already having Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all under contract, there really isn’t room for Levi on the NHL roster next season. And if they believe that they won’t be able to get Levi through waivers, looking to move him for some value in the coming weeks makes sense for them.
Levi would certainly represent a riskier pickup for Ottawa, however. They hoped that they had a young goalie ready for the role in Merilainen this season but that didn’t work out. Levi is only eight months older and while he has a bit more of a track record, he has yet to make it through a full NHL season yet. There would be some upside for sure but the risk would be higher as well.
Staios will undoubtedly have other external pickups on his wish list heading into the annual offseason carousel of backups. These are two of the younger players who could be in play; it will be interesting to see if they’ll consider some older shorter-term options as well or if their preference will be to aim for someone who could be in that spot for a few years.
Sidney Crosby Not Considering Retirement Anytime Soon
Although Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will turn 39 before the start of next season, he isn’t seriously considering ending what has been a legendary career in the NHL. Crosby spoke to The Athletic’s Josh Yohe about his future, and said “I definitely want to keep playing for as many years as possible.” He also added that any previous comments about wanting to take a “year-to-year” approach was more about giving the Penguins as much financial flexibility as possible, rather than an indication that he is weighing hanging up his skates.
That Crosby isn’t giving any serious thought to retirement shouldn’t come as any surprise. First and foremost, Crosby is one of the game’s all-time great competitors. He hasn’t won a playoff series since 2017-18, and it’s likely he’ll want to see the Penguins through their current retool as far as he can. But the more important factor to Crosby’s longevity isn’t his competitive drive, it’s the simple fact that he remains an extremely effective NHL center. Crosby scored 29 goals and 74 points in 68 games in 2025-26. Although the Penguins stumbled in the first round of the playoffs, Crosby is still a star first-line center. Before injuries limited him this past season, Crosby had three consecutive campaigns where he scored more than 90 points. It seems he’s eager to continue leading the Penguins into their increasingly promising future, and for as long as he wants to continue playing, he’ll have a place at the top of the Penguins lineup.