Check out the latest on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Patrik Laine in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
UPDATES ON CROSBY AND MALKIN
THE ATHLETIC: Rob Rossi reports multiple sources said Sidney Crosby’s birthday (Aug. 7) was never a target date for the new contract that and the Pittsburgh Penguins are working on. Both sides remain confident of agreeing to a new deal.
Crosby has told close friends that he intends to re-sign with the Penguins and that his camp and general manager Kyle Dubas remain largely aligned about the details of his new contract. His focus right now is training for the upcoming season. A league source also said there are no issues between Crosby and the Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).
Both sides agree that a delay in finalizing the deal will generate speculation. There’s also some concern on the Penguins’ business side that it could affect sponsorship deals and season ticket sales.
A team source said the actual money isn’t an issue. Because Crosby’s next contract is a 35-plus deal, there are strict limitations on signing bonuses (none beyond the first year of a multiyear deal) plus the year-to-year salary cannot decrease. The player’s full cap hit will continue to apply should he retire before the end of his contract.
Rossi cites a source close to Crosby claiming he’s unsure how long he wants to keep playing and wants to avoid putting the Penguins in a difficult spot if he retires early.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Term seems to be the issue. It’s been speculated the 37-year-old Penguins captain could sign a three-year deal.
I guessed that Crosby might sign on his birthday because of his superstitious attachment to No. 87. However, I’m not surprised yesterday passed without a deal.
Plenty of time exists for Crosby to sign his extension with the Penguins. It’s important to him and the team that they get this right. It’s garnered so much attention because of who he is and the lack of real hockey news during the dog days of the offseason.
It will get done, either before the start of training camp or soon afterward. I don’t see this dragging on into this season becoming an unnecessary distraction for Crosby and the team.
Rossi also reports Evgeni Malkin intends to honor the remaining two years of his contract. It was rumored he would retire at the end of this season. “Not true,” said Malkin.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Malkin made it clear he intended to play out the full term of his contract when he signed it. So did Kris Letang when he signed his deal. Malkin might return to Russia at the end of his deal and finish his playing career there, but he and Letang want to finish their NHL careers together with Crosby in Pittsburgh.
THE LATEST ON PATRIK LAINE
WINNIPEG SUN: In a recent mailbag segment, Scott Billeck was asked whether the Jets might bring back Patrik Laine. The Jets traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Pierre-Luc Dubois in January 2021.
Billeck doesn’t see a fit for Laine with the Jets. He pointed out they lack the cap space to make it work even if the Blue Jackets retained half of his $8.7 million cap hit without shipping out someone. The Jets’ top-six forward lines are more or less set, with head coach Scott Arniel planning to give more playing time to Cole Perfetti.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Billeck suggested moving Nikolai Ehlers and his $6 million cap hit but pointing out Arniel likes the Danish winger. Laine returning to Winnipeg seems unlikely to me.
TVA SPORTS: cited Sportsnet’s Eric Engels dismissing the notion of the Montreal Canadiens acquiring Laine. Appearing on “The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro”, he said it made him laugh to see posts on X.com claiming the Canadiens were the front-runners.
“I would say the interest is pretty minimal,” said Engels. He pointed out that Laine’s game isn’t up to par in every aspect that excludes goal scoring. It’s unlikely that Laine will want to go to the lion’s den that is the Montreal market after exiting the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine went into the program seeking help for his mental health. Facing the unrelenting pressure of Montreal’s hockey hothouse is probably not high on his “to-do” list.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Anthony Larocco thinks Laine could be a good fit with the Carolina Hurricanes as a replacement for the departed Teuvo Teravainen. He would improve their depth on the wings, helping them further solidify their chances of contending for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Turning to the Washington Capitals, Sammi Silber believes a trade for Laine doesn’t make sense for them right now. Laine’s contract and the Capitals’ limited cap space makes it difficult to pull off that deal. Finding a suitable spot on their roster is another factor.