[Signing] Penguins, Evgeni Malkin agree to 8-year, $76-million extension

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

The best 1-2 punch down the middle in modern day NHL history locked up long term. Penguin fans have it so good.

Not sure how they will be a serious contender without any defence or goaltending.

Whoops misread capgeek.

[mrdonkey]

If you listen closely, you can hear Eklund's screams of "NOOOOO" on the wind.

[GreenLantern]

Dupuis will have to be ready to sign for peanuts or he is gone.. can't see him getting a raise. Same with Cooke.

Iginla? I don't think they can afford it, especially not with a Letang extension looming as well.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Sorry Canucks fans but it's hard to imagine they would plan on adding Luongo's long term deal to this. I imagine Letang is going to further take a big chunk of cap room. Will be interesting to see how the Penguins can balance building a solid supporting cast as they are running out of room to keep any more star players long term. They are going to have to lean hard on their drafting to supplement this team.

I could potentially see a buyout of Fleury and a trade for Luongo which would only cost an extra 300,000 per annum against the cap for a much better goaltender. The question isn't the immediate cap hit though it is the risk that occurs near the end of the contract... although if a team is going for it now, I could see a GM worrying about the future in the future and the present in the present.

[GGG]

Coming out of the lockout with a 39 million dollar cap the Flames signed Iggy to a 7 million dollar cap hit. That became the going rate for star players. This represented 18% of the cap. 18% of a 60 million dollar cap is 10.8 million. Now we likely won't have the same level of cap inflation that we saw after the last lockout but Malkin and Crosby's contracts still will allow building a good team.

They just need to be careful with what they do with the rest of their money. Ovechkin signed is 9.5 mil cap hit deal when the cap was 56million. Now the capitals haven't had that much success but it hasn't been due to a lack of cap space.

It is a very resonable number for a top 3 player in the league in his prime. He could have gotten the same contract on the open market over 7 years instead of 8 with a 10 to 11 million dollar cap hit and there would have been a line up of teams to do it.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by GGG

Coming out of the lockout with a 39 million dollar cap the Flames signed Iggy to a 7 million dollar cap hit. That became the going rate for star players. This represented 18% of the cap. 18% of a 60 million dollar cap is 10.8 million. Now we likely won't have the same level of cap inflation that we saw after the last lockout but Malkin and Crosby's contracts still will allow building a good team.

They just need to be careful with what they do with the rest of their money. Ovechkin signed is 9.5 mil cap hit deal when the cap was 56million. Now the capitals haven't had that much success but it hasn't been due to a lack of cap space.

It is a very resonable number for a top 3 player in the league in his prime. He could have gotten the same contract on the open market over 7 years instead of 8 with a 10 to 11 million dollar cap hit and there would have been a line up of teams to do it.

Challenge is with Teams that have multiple star players.... Flames only had 1 star player so the large cap was workable.

Penguins have several star players that will take quite a chuck out of the Salary Cap....

[SebC]

2014 free agency just got a lot less fun.

Common Teows/Kane 2015.

[Kiran403]

I wonder if this makes Letang more expendable as he's more of an offensive defenseman and Pittsburgh really needs more shut-down style guys since they already have the offense.

[mdubz]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I could potentially see a buyout of Fleury and a trade for Luongo which would only cost an extra 300,000 per annum against the cap for a much better goaltender. The question isn't the immediate cap hit though it is the risk that occurs near the end of the contract... although if a team is going for it now, I could see a GM worrying about the future in the future and the present in the present.

How is Luongo a "much better" goalie than Fleury? They both have the same playoff issues, but Fleury is younger and normally better in the regular season.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think most teams in the league would love to have their problems but all 29 would rather be in the position of the Hawks or Bruins with better overall teams. Nobody is saying the Penguins are screwed but their lack of talent on defense and goaltending has led to them getting exposed in the last two playoffs. They will be a cup contender every year but a lot of things will have to fall into place for them to win a cup as long as they continue with a somewhat flawed roster that is built more for regular season success than playoff success.

The Hawks and Bruins are not better overall teams. Either team can defeat the other in any given year. The Bruins and Hawks have both had their own embarrassing playoff exits too.

Like other posters have said, the extra money to Malkin and Crosby is compensated for by players willing to take a discount to go there.

In the NHL, there is great parity and no favorite. This move ensures that the Pens are in the discussion for contender every year for the next 5-6 years though.

[Flash Walken]

Pittsburgh will be looking to move Fleury, Paul Martin.

If I were the Flames, I'd be jumping on trying to do a deal for Martin. 2 years left at 5 million per, and he can actually play defense.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Kiran403

I wonder if this makes Letang more expendable as he's more of an offensive defenseman and Pittsburgh really needs more shut-down style guys since they already have the offense.

Just came across the following comments from Shero:

@MikeColligan 36m Shero on Letang: "I haven't even had a conversation with his agent. We'll certainly turn our attention to Kris over the next little bit"


@MikeColligan 34m
Shero on Letang: "If we don't have a deal by the draft, does that mean we're trading him? I can't even speculate that. I don't even know."


@MikeColligan 31m
Shero said he didn't have discussions with any of #Pens free agents during the season


On another note, Mike is a fantastic follow on Twitter.

[DuffMan]

How will they afford Iggy now?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Pittsburgh will be looking to move Fleury, Paul Martin.

If I were the Flames, I'd be jumping on trying to do a deal for Martin. 2 years left at 5 million per, and he can actually play defense.

I thought Shero said he was not moving Fleury?

[moon]

Originally Posted by mdubz

How is Luongo a "much better" goalie than Fleury? They both have the same playoff issues, but Fleury is younger and normally better in the regular season.

Luongo doesn't have close to the same issues in the play-offs that Fleury does. Two years ago he had two shutouts in the finals and a .914 sv % in the play-offs. If the Canucks could score he has a Cup ring that series.

His 4 games the past 2 years haven't been close to the disaster that Fleury's have.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

How will they afford Iggy now?

Malkin and letangs contracts kick in after next season.

Iginla could get a 1yr deal if he takes a discount. unlikely he gets a multi year deal from the pens.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by blankall

The Hawks and Bruins are not better overall teams. Either team can defeat the other in any given year. The Bruins and Hawks have both had their own embarrassing playoff exits too.

Like other posters have said, the extra money to Malkin and Crosby is compensated for by players willing to take a discount to go there.

In the NHL, there is great parity and no favorite. This move ensures that the Pens are in the discussion for contender every year for the next 5-6 years though.

These are my thoughts as well. In the last 6 years the Penguins have a Cup, an additional finals appearance, An eastern conference appearance, and two first round exits. That is as good or better as any other team in the NHL over that span.

Having that talent locked up makes it so much easier for their GM to tinker and retool around the edges to give them a shot at Stanley every year. Look at how fast Chicago has turned it around after losing a bunch of their talent after winning the cup. Having top end talent makes a big difference.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I could potentially see a buyout of Fleury...

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Pittsburgh will be looking to move Fleury...
.

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I thought Shero said he was not moving Fleury?

He did. He made some pretty definitive statements that there's nowhere else he can get 40 wins a year, and that Fleury is their franchise goalie.

For better or worse, Shero is keeping the core together.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I thought Shero said he was not moving Fleury?

Kiss of death?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Malkin and letangs contracts kick in after next season.

Iginla could get a 1yr deal if he takes a discount. unlikely he gets a multi year deal from the pens.

How can Pittsburgh even sign Malkin to this extension until July 1/5?