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Penguins Acquire Kevin Hayes

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired center Kevin Hayes and St. Louis’ 2025 second-round pick, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). Pittsburgh is sending future considerations the other way. No salary was retained, though Hayes’ cap hit is just $3.571MM, with Philadelphia retaining 50 percent of his original $7.143MM cap hit when they traded him to St. Louis.

The Blues quickly flip Hayes to the other side of Pennsylvania, just one year after they acquired him from the Flyers in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick. Hayes posted 13 goals and 29 points in 79 games with the Blues – a far cry from the career-high 54 points he managed in his final year with the Flyers. He was tasked as being St. Louis’ reliable, two-way forward on the second line, succeeding Ryan O’Reilly, and while Hayes did well at shutting play down in the middle of the ice – his pace wasn’t enough to inspire much.

But while he didn’t fill the right need in St. Louis, he could be exactly what Pittsburgh needs – offering predictable and reliable impact down the lineup at a relatively cheap cost. The Penguins are facing a cap crunch this summer, with three pending free agents, $7.174MM in cap space, and superstar Sidney Crosby eligible for an extension on July 1st. Hayes could assume the third-line center role behind Evgeni Malkin, making Lars Eller a bit more expendable should Pittsburgh be looking for other cap dumps.

Penguins Begin Extension Negotiations With Sidney Crosby

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Hoping to keep extension discussions away from the media, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reported earlier that the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kyle Dubas, has begun extension negotiations with Sidney Crosby. There have been no rumblings on any specific terms between the two sides but the contract is at least expected to keep Crosby in Pittsburgh until his retirement.

It will be the first time in over a decade that Crosby has had to negotiate a contract as he’s entering the final year of a 12-year $104.4MM contract signed in Pittsburgh only three years after the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. Averaging a sentimental $8.7MM salary for each year of the deal, it has arguably been one of the best-value contracts in league history.

Over the life of the contract, Crosby has scored 354 goals and 931 points in 802 regular season games while winning two Stanley Cups, two Conn Smythe trophies, one Hart Memorial Trophy, one Ted Lindsay Award, and one Art Ross Trophy. Entering his age 37 season, Crosby may be looking for a three- or four-year agreement with the Penguins that could see an AAV near or above $10MM a year.

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Penguins Notes: Pettersson, Jarry, Smith

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Rob Rossi of The Athletic is reporting that the Pittsburgh Penguins and defensemen Marcus Pettersson have a mutual interest in signing a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old Pettersson has one year left on his five-year contract at a cap hit of $4.025MM and was arguably the Penguins’ most steady defender last year, playing big minutes with both Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson and elevating both players.

The Penguins acquired Pettersson back in December 2018 for forward Daniel Sprong and the Skelleftea, Sweden native quickly became a regular on the Penguins’ back end. Pettersson has never been much of an offensive contributor but did post four goals and 26 assists in 82 games last season while playing 22:40 a game and providing terrific work on the penalty kill.

Pettersson’s next contract is tough to project, but given his contributions of late, it’s not unrealistic to expect his AAV to fall in the range of $5.5MM to $6MM per season on a long-term deal.

In other Penguins notes:

  • Rob Rossi of The Athletic is reporting that Tristan Jarry can submit a new 12-team no-trade list to the Penguins on July 1st, which could complicate a potential trade if they don’t move him before that day. Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas would reportedly like to make a hockey trade for Jarry if he chooses to move him and wants to receive back a top-six winger or a top-four defenseman. According to Rossi, the Penguins aren’t in a rush to deal Jarry and are comfortable starting next season with him and recently re-signed Alex Nedeljkovic, as there is some debate about whether top goaltending prospect Joel Blomqvist is ready to take a role in the NHL next season.
  • The Penguins are hesitant to bring forward Reilly Smith back for the final season of his contract (as per Rossi). Pittsburgh management doesn’t believe that Smith was unhappy to be a Penguin, but reportedly hoped he would have an easier transition to the team after he came over in a trade from the Vegas Golden Knights. Smith recently changed agents and is now represented by Pat Brisson, who also represents teammate Sidney Crosby. Rossi believes that the Penguins will work with Brisson to determine the best situation for Smith and the team and act accordingly. If that course of action is a trade, then the Penguins will look to move Smith to a destination that suits him. The Penguins offered Smith up at the trade deadline but couldn’t find a dance partner at that time.  Smith has one year left on his contract at a $5MM cap hit.

Daniel Winnik Announces Retirement

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Versatile forward Daniel Winnik has retired, as he announced on his personal X page this morning. A veteran of 11 NHL seasons, Winnik had a respectable journeyman career, suiting up for eight major league teams after being taken in the ninth round of the 2004 draft by the Coyotes. The 39-year-old last suited up in the NHL in 2018 before heading to Genève-Servette HC of the Swiss National League, where he’s spent the last six seasons.

“For the past 19 years, I have lived a dream, from signing my first contract with the Phoenix Coyotes to my last with Geneva Servette,” Winnik wrote in his announcement. “Some experiences I thought would only remain dreams became reality: being coached by Wayne Gretzky, playing for my hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and representing Canada at the Olympic Games.”

As expected for a late-round pick, Winnik took a few years to break into the NHL. But unexpectedly, he wasn’t a depth piece or a fringe player subject to endless recalls and reassignments. Instead, he immediately cemented himself as a full-time piece for Phoenix upon making his debut in 2007-08, making 79 appearances in his rookie season while contributing 11 goals and 26 points in 14:06 of ice time per game, a good portion of which came on the penalty kill. Winnik spent the first three years of his NHL career with the Coyotes, recording 52 points (18 goals, 34 assists) in 202 games before they traded him to the Avalanche for a fourth-round pick in the 2010 offseason.

In 2010-11, Winnik rediscovered his valuable depth-scoring contributions from his rookie season, matching his 11 goals and 26 points in 80 games for the Avs while averaging 16:33 per game, the most he’d played at that point in his career. He was also one of Colorado’s most-used forwards in shorthanded situations that season, averaging 2:44 per game while down a man. Unfortunately, he was slugging it out on an Avs team that finished with only 68 points, earning them the right to select future captain Gabriel Landeskog with the second-overall pick in that summer’s draft.

Winnik was dealt again to the Sharks midway through the 2011-12 season, beginning a run of playing for seven different teams in the final seven seasons of his NHL career, including two separate stints with the Maple Leafs. He would also end up logging action for the Capitals, Ducks, Penguins and Wild, although he only managed to play more than 150 games for one team, the Coyotes. His career-defining season was split between Toronto and Pittsburgh in 2014-15, recording a career-high 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists) in 79 games and a +23 rating, earning him a second- and fifth-place vote in Selke Trophy polling.

However, after completing a one-year, $660K contract with the Wild in 2017-18, which saw him produce six goals and 23 points in 81 games, there wasn’t much interest in his services stateside. That led him to head to Geneva, where he broke out immediately as one of the best two-way threats in the top-flight Swiss league. Over six seasons with the club, he recorded 91 goals and 234 points in 270 games, winning three major trophies – a Spengler Cup in 2020, an NL championship in 2023, and a Champions Hockey League title this season. He also represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, contributing a goal and an assist in five appearances.

Ultimately, Winnik ended his NHL career with 82 goals, 169 assists, 251 points and a +52 rating in 798 games. We all at PHR congratulate Winnik on such a lengthy stint in the pros, especially for a ninth-round pick.

East Notes: Jarry, Chychrun, Provorov

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Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry is likely available via trade this summer. The 29-year-old signed a five-year $26.875MM contract last summer with the Penguins and put up pedestrian numbers in another inconsistent season and eventually lost the starter role to recently re-signed Alex Nedeljkovic.

Jarry’s contract might have looked unmovable just a few months ago, but given the goalie market and the fact that he is a two-time All-Star, a move seems very possible. Whether the Penguins want to make that move or not is another story, but the fact that they didn’t start him in the final 13 games of the regular season is certainly not a vote of confidence. Jarry went 19-25-5 last season with a .903 save percentage and a 2.91 goals-against average. His underlying numbers were a tick better as he posted 2.6 goals saved above expected (as per MoneyPuck).

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that the Ottawa Senators are gauging what the trade market looks like for defenceman Jakob Chychrun. The 26-year-old has one year left on his contract at $4.6MM and will be a prime trade target for many teams looking to improve their backend. Ottawa is reportedly looking for a first-round pick, as well as a second-round pick or a high-end prospect in exchange for Chychrun, a steep price for what could be a one-year rental. Chychrun had a good offensive season last year with 14 goals and 27 assists in 82 games; however, he was -30. Chychrun turned the puck over with alarming frequency last season, committing 73 turnovers, however, his possession numbers were very good with a CF% of 51.2% at even-strength.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic lists Ivan Provorov as a potential trade chip for the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer as newly hired general manager Don Waddell tries to improve the struggling team. The 27-year-old Provorov has one season left on his contract with a cap hit of $4.75MM ($2MM retained by Los Angeles) and should receive interest if Columbus decides to move him. Portzline says he would be surprised if Provorov spends the year with the Blue Jackets, given his contractual status and the fact that the Blue Jackets have defenseman Denton Mateychuk turning pro. Mateychuk could be ready to tackle the top four minutes very shortly which could facilitate Provorov’s trade, however, it is important to note that Waddell has a history of being patient with young players and might opt to keep Mateychuk in the AHL for extra seasoning.

Snapshots: Bobrovsky, Ekblad, Nugent-Hopkins, Smith

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Florida Panthers fans are breathing a big sigh of relief this morning, with both star defender Aaron Ekblad and Vezina-finalist goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky good to go after missing the team’s Sunday morning practice, per Colby Guy of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). Neither player were limited in the team’s Game 6 loss – with Bobrovsky facing 19 shots and Ekblad playing 21:37 in ice time – suggesting that their absences were merely for maintenance. Still, every update matters as the Panthers look to skid three straight losses in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Edmonton Oilers have outscored Florida 18-t0-5 over that stretch, with Bobrovsky posting a collective 0.793 save percentage. The Panthers will now return home for a winner-takes-all Game 7, seemingly still at full strength.

Other quick notes from around the league:

  • In the name of fairness, the Oilers are facing an injury scare of their own, with former-100 point forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missing the team’s Sunday practice with illness, per Jim Matheson of NHL.com (Twitter link). Nugent-Hopkins has been one of Edmonton’s top contributors this postseason, recording 22 points in 24 playoff games. That includes two points in Edmonton’s three-game win-streak – so far his only scoring in the Stanley Cup Finals. Nugent-Hopkins would leave a major role vacant should he be unavailable for Game 7, though there’s been no indication that Edmonton is expecting him to sit.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins winger Reilly Smith has changed agencies ahead of the final year of his contract, now represented by CAA Hockey, per PuckPedia (Twitter link). CAA is the choice agency of many NHL stars, including Sidney Crosby, Matthew Beniers, Mathew Barzal, and Cole Caufield. It’s also the agency most akin to changing scenery – representing the recently-traded Pierre-Luc Dubois, rumored trade chip Rutger McGroarty, and hardened trade rumor veteran Jack Eichel. Smith takes on the new representation while looking to vindicate his final year at a $5MM price tag, though his 13 goals and 40 points last season fell short of expecations.

Penguins Sign Alex Nedeljkovic To Two-Year Extension

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $5.0MM contract extension. The deal was first reported by Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). The deal carries an annual cap hit of $2.5MM, committing Pittsburgh to a total of $7.875MM between starter Tristan Jarry and backup Nedeljkovic.

Nedeljkovic was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, after playing through a one-year, $1.5MM contract signed last summer. He appeared in 38 NHL games this season – just the second-most he’s played in one season – and managed good results, posting 18 wins and a .902 save percentage. He stood as a reliable backup option for the Penguins, clawing his way back to an everyday role in the NHL after spending much of the 2022-23 season in the minor leagues. It was a hard fall for Nedeljkovic, who had a career year in 2021-22, serving as the Detroit Red Wings’ starter, managing 20 wins and a .901 save percentage across 59 appearances. That season remains the only year that Nedeljkovic has filled a starter role at the NHL level, though he’s made spot starts as far back as the 2016-17 season. Now 28, Nedeljkovic has totaled 141 games across seven years in the NHL, managing 60 wins and a .906 save percentage even amongst tough deployment.

The Penguins seem pleased with Nedeljkovic’s inaugural year with the club, and will now bring him back with a slight pay raise and a bit more term to once again fill the backup role behind Jarry, whose signed through the 2027-28 season. Strong performances could earn Nedeljkovic the role through the end of Jarry’s deal, though top goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist could soon pose tough competition.

Penguins Hire Kirk MacDonald As AHL Head Coach

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The Penguins have added Kirk MacDonald to the organization as the head coach of AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the team announced. He replaces J.D. Forrest, who had been behind the WBS bench for the last four seasons but isn’t returning.

MacDonald joins an AHL staff for the first time as he moves up the coaching ladder. The 40-year-old previously spent five seasons with the ECHL’s Reading Royals as their head coach and director of hockey operations and had spent the last two years as the head coach of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, whom he guided to a first-place 41-13-8 record this season before losing to the Fargo Force in the league final. It was the Fighting Saints’ first final appearance in eight years.

He was never drafted by an NHL team or signed to an NHL contract, but minor-league fans will remember MacDonald’s name from an AHL career that spanned from 2007 to 2013 with Albany, Houston, Iowa and Providence. A heavy-hitting winger during his playing days, MacDonald had 45 goals and 106 points in 272 games at the top minor-league level.

MacDonald takes over a Baby Pens roster that will likely include 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering on its blue line next season. 23-year-old Samuel Poulin, a 2019 first-rounder, is also a candidate to spend time in the minors again, but he’s a more likely name to make the NHL roster in the fall as he’s lost his waiver exemption.

Snapshots: Boucher, McDavid, Kraft Hockeyville

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach Guy Boucher was hoping to be much more of a contender in the team’s head coaching search, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. Toronto parted ways with Boucher on Saturday, ending his tenure in Toronto after just one year with the team. Boucher mainly presided over Toronto’s power play, which posted a 23.95 percent success rate this season, down two percent from last year though still a top-10 unit in the league. They lost that special-teams spark in the playoffs, though, scoring on just one of the 21 power plays they received in their first-round loss to the Boston Bruins.

The Leafs were rumored to be interested in a long list of candidates for their head coaching vacancy – including Todd McLellan, Gerard Gallant, and even Rod Brind’Amour prior to his extension in Carolina. Toronto’s assistants were never among the rumored candidates, with the team even overturning Manny Malhotra, who left for an AHL head coaching role and was replaced by Lane Lambert. Boucher may need to follow in Malhotra’s path to the minor league if he’d like another head coaching role, with seemingly no vacancies in the NHL following Ryan Warsofsky’s hire in San Jose. There are currently three head coach vacancies in the AHL – with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and Hartford Wolf Pack, though the latter could opt to promote interim head coach Steve Smtih

Other notes from around the league:

  • Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid has broken Wayne Gretzky’s record for assists in a single postseason, now at 32 after recording three assists in Game 4. McDavid and Gretzky are the only two players to record 30 assists in a single postseason, with Gretzky managing the feat in both 1985 and 1988. McDavid is now up to 38 points in 22 playoff games this year, more than any other player in NHL history save for Gretzky and Mario Lemieux – though 38 points still ranks McDavid as just the fifth-highest scoring postseason, with Gretzky breaking 40 points three separate times, including a record-holding 47 points, and Lemieux once scoring 44. Those will be the records that McDavid is chasing as he looks to will Edmonton to a Game 7 Stanley Cup.
  • The Ottawa Senators will host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2024 Kraft Hockeyville Preseason Game, set to take place in Elliot Lake, Ontario. Elliot Lake will also receive $250K to support arena upgrades and $10K in hockey equipment from the NHLPA Goals and Dreams fund. The matchup will bring Canadian superstars Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang to Northern Ontario, and mark Pittsburgh’s first time playing guest to the Senators since a 2-1 overtime loss in March.

Penguins Name David Quinn Assistant Coach

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June 12: The Penguins officially added Quinn to Sullivan’s staff as an assistant Wednesday, the team announced. He’ll oversee the team’s defensemen, but the release did not say that he’d be running their power play. It’s still unclear whose responsibility that will be as the team tries to return to postseason play in 2024-25.

June 11: The Penguins are likely bringing in former Rangers and Sharks head coach David Quinn to join their staff, The Athletic’s Arthur Staple reports Tuesday.

Quinn, 57, will serve as an assistant or associate under head coach Mike Sullivan, who’s expected back next season for his 10th year with the club. He replaces outgoing associate coach Todd Reirden. The Penguins announced over a month ago that they were not renewing Reirden’s contract.

If Reirden’s duties are replaced directly, Quinn will work closely with Pittsburgh’s defense group and oversee their power play. That reunites him on both fronts with Erik Karlsson, who he coached to a Norris Trophy and 101-point season with the Sharks last year.

Overall, though, Quinn must get the power play back on track. The Pens’ man advantage finished third-worst in the league this season, clicking at just 15.3%. It’s an unacceptable number for any team, but even more so for a club with Karlsson, Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust still around.

The Sharks fired Quinn shortly after the end of the regular season with one year left on his contract. While the roster wasn’t built to give him much support, he guided San Jose to a 19-54-9 record and 47 points, putting them squarely in the conversation for one of the worst teams of the salary cap era.

He’d held the post for two seasons, his second NHL head coaching job after leading the Rangers from 2018 to 2021. It’s been a long time since Quinn took a secondary role on a coaching staff, last serving as an assistant coach for the Avalanche in 2012-13.

He then returned to Boston University, where he had a brief playing career and an earlier run as an associate coach, to take over their program. Over five seasons with Quinn at the helm, the Terriers won three Hockey East titles, and he was named the conference’s Coach of the Year in 2014-15.

The remainder of Sullivan’s staff this season – assistants Ty Hennes, Mike Vellucci and goaltending coach Andy Chiodo – is expected to return.

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