The Penguins focused on the blue line with two moves yesterday. They signed veteran defenseman Kris Letang to a six-year contract in the afternoon and then selected a very tall, very thin defenseman with their number one draft choice last night. Meanwhile, an alumnus of Sidney Crosby’s “Little Penguins” program was drafted third overall by Arizona.
Letang’s deal is worth $36.6 million and will carry a $6.1 million salary cap hit. At age 35 now, it will take him through his age 41 season.
The other superstar still unsigned and scheduled to become a free agent next week is Evgeni Malkin. There was no news on him yesterday but GM Ron Hextall said Wednesday he hoped to have the Letang and Malkin issues resolved before the end of the draft, which concludes today.
REACTIONS:
Letang sounded thrilled to stay with the Penguins.
Letang hopes the Penguins can wrap up a new deal for Malkin. He says Malkin and Sidney Crosby can still lead the Pens to another Stanley Cup.
Coach Mike Sullivan says he is happy Letang will continue to anchor his blue line.
Sullivan says it would be great of the Pens could retain Malkin, too.
Letang had a big day yesterday. After his contract announcement in his native Montreal, he had the honor of announcing the Penguins’ first-round draft choice. 6-foot-5 inch, 178 pound defenseman Owen Pickering was taken by the Penguins 21st overall. He played for Swift Current in the Western Hockey League last season, scoring 9 goals with 24 assists.
Pickering says the Penguins were one of the teams he talked with before the draft.
Pickering knows he has a lot to learn and he has to add muscle, but he says he will still try to make the opening day roster.
After Montreal surprised the hockey world by passing on Shane Wright and taking forward Juraj Slafkovsky, New Jersey took Simon Nemec second, and the Arizona Coyotes took West Mifflin native Logan Cooley third overall. If he makes the Coyotes opening day roster, he could debut with the Coyotes in Pittsburgh. Wright, considered the top prospect pre-draft fell to number four, chosen by Seattle.
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