Pittsburgh Penguins Turn Focus to Re-Signing Kris Letang, But Trade Remains Possible
By Josh Sanchez
Ever since the Pittsburgh Penguins disappointing end to the season, the team has been busy securing their talent for the future as they prepare to make another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The team has already signed head coach Dan Bylsma to a two-year extension to go along with Evgeni Malkin’s brand new eight-year, $76 million extension, so now the team will be looking to secure blueliner Kris Letang for the next few years.
Letang will be entering the last year of his four-year, $14 million deal next season and he will surely be looking for a pay raise. If the Penguins can find a way to free up the money, you can be sure they will lock up the 26-year-old Norris Trophy finalist.
“We’ll turn our attention to Kris over the next little bit and see where we are, have those conversations and see exactly if they’re in the same ballpark of what we’re thinking,” Penguins GM Ray Shero said, according to the team’s official website. “Until we get to those discussions, I don’t know what his expectations are.
“Does he want to be here? Somewhere else? It’s hard for me to know what Kris’ intentions are until I get into some sort of discussions with his agent and Kris.”
It is hard to imagine a scenario where Letang wouldn’t want to return to the Penguins loaded roster, but if he feels that he can get more money elsewhere it would be hard to blame him for leaving.
Of course, there is also the option of a trade, which Shero has not ruled out.
“If we don’t have a deal by the draft, does that mean we’re trading him? I can’t speculate that. I don’t even know,” he said. “I don’t want to say a player can’t be traded or will never be traded. It’s hard to do that. We’re going to get to those discussion and see, make some decisions and maybe we get into July or August with Kris Letang on a one-year contract.
“He’s under contract for next year. He doesn’t have any clause in his contract for a no-move or block whatever we would try to do, or want to do. Having said that, I want to try and get to Kris and see exactly what they have in mind, and see whether or not that will work for us. Then we can make some decisions.”
Penguins fans would prefer to keep Letang on the roster, but it is a business and each side will need to figure out what is best for them moving forward.
If Letang ends up getting moved after or before the draft, then whatever team lands him will be picking up one heck of a player.