The Pittsburgh Penguins just signed Bryan Rust to a multi-year contract extension that will pay him over $30 million throughout the next six years. Now, Ron Hextall is trying to lock down deals for franchise legends and team veterans Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. With both players set to hit free agency, captain Sidney Crosby has made clear he wants the team to bring Letang and Malkin back to Pittsburgh. However, financially, that may be easier said than done.
Hextall provided fans with an optimistic update on the contract discussions regarding the veteran skaters on Monday, via Wes Crosby. According to the Penguins GM, the team has held discussions with Letang and Malkin's representatives.
Ron Hextall on Malkin and Letang: "We have had discussions recently."
"In a perfect world, Geno retires a Penguin. Tanger is the same." #Pens
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) May 23, 2022
“In a perfect world Geno [Evgeni Malkin] retires a Penguin,” said Hextall. “Tanger [Kris Letang] is the same.”
While Hextall didn't guarantee any deal would get done, he did communicate that the negotiations have begun. That's certainly an uplifting update for Penguins fans as there was significant concern among the fanbase that the pair would be allowed to hit free agency.
Letang and Malkin are key players for the Penguins and were crucial in the team's multiple Stanley Cup runs since 2008. Letang is a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins and played in a total of 934 regular-season games for the franchise throughout his 15-year career. He would have won a third Stanley Cup had it not been for the injury that cost him a chunk of the 2016-17 season.
Malkin, on the other hand, has won the cup three times with the Penguins and has featured in 981 games since joining the team in 2007.
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