Penguins' Crosby, Malkin, Letang embark on what could be final playoff run together
It’s not exactly a hallowed date in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Rarely are there many infographics or videos on its anniversary.
Those remembrances typically get reserved for things like Mario Lemieux’s debut in 1984 or any of the Stanley Cup victories.
You’re not likely to see much on Twitter or Instagram about Oct. 18, 2006. Especially since the Penguins lost at home to the New Jersey Devils that day 2-1.
But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a significant moment in the trajectory of the franchise.
It was the first time all three of them played together.
Sidney Crosby.
Evgeni Malkin.
Kris Letang.
Just over a decade and a half after that nondescript October game against the Devils, they’re trying to win another championship.
Perhaps for the final time.
While Crosby’s future is all but certain to be linked to the Penguins as long as he chooses — he has three years remaining on a 12-year contract he signed in 2012 — Malkin and Letang are entering a period of uncertainty.
Both are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this upcoming offseason. And with the NHL still dealing with the economic realities of the pandemic, the salary cap is expected to increase only $1 million.
Malkin ($9.5 million cap hit) and Letang ($7.25 million) are each in the final year of eight-year contracts they signed in 2013.
Publicly, Penguins management as well as each player have said the right things — i.e. little of substance — with regards to potential contract extensions.
Privately, it is believed management has informed agents for both players that re-signing them to the same figures, let alone a larger sum, is not feasible for the franchise’s overall interests.
Much has changed since that 2006 game, when Crosby was the veteran of the group, a 19-year-old embarking on his second season of a career in which he was already anointed as the “next one” to be the face of the entire sport.
As for Malkin, he made his debut that night having been hobbled by a shoulder injury suffered in the preseason. The second overall pick in the 2004 draft, he might have taken the ice for the Penguins a season or two earlier had it not been for a lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season or diplomatic difficulties that occasionally arise with Russian players wanting to play in North America.
And Letang? He was something of an unheralded third-round pick in 2005 who was just getting a taste of NHL action as a 19-year-old. As it was, he was returned to his junior club, the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League later in October. Management felt his development would benefit from playing more minutes at that level.
One season later, all three helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Detroit Red Wings.
A year after that, they beat the Red Wings for the franchise’s third championship.
By 2016 and ’17, the Penguins became the first franchise in the NHL’s salary cap era (which began after that 2004-05 lockout) to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles thanks to the efforts of the trio.
That success largely was achieved by leading — in every way possible — their teammates.
“They could have easily formed their own club at the top of the hierarchy and have never spoken to the depth guys,” said former defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who spent parts of seven seasons with the Penguins and was part of the 2016 Stanley Cup championship.
“But they knew the best way for them to be successful was for them to form a team atmosphere. They expected excellence. … It was competitive about their bodies and their fitness, everything. When I was called up or anyone was called up, you had to be perfect in order to keep up with those guys. They pushed that culture — I’m sure they still do — for 17 years. … It was an awesome thing to be a part of. It made me be a better hockey player because I knew that when I was getting called, I had to be perfect. That was what was expected.”
It’s not known what is expected with the trio going forward.
Malkin seems to be most open to returning, even with a smaller salary.
The realities of where his body is — he is 35 and only has played 74 games over the past two seasons, primarily because of a right knee injury — appear to temper Malkin’s expectations for what he can command as an unrestricted free agent.
If nothing else, Malkin’s trademark wit would suggest that.
“I (do) not think about money. I’m like (a) pretty rich guy,” Malkin quipped in December. “I have (had) a tough year. I want to get back to my level of (the) game. We have (a) great group. We have great coaches. I miss hockey so much. I want to enjoy every game. I know it’s a little bit not easy, but I want to play maybe three, four more years and I feel I can.”
By any measure, Malkin is a superstar, even if he’s in the autumn of his career. He has won a handful of individual awards and remains one of the most popular players in the sport.
At the same time, he is in Crosby’s shadow and seems to be comfortable with that arrangement. An introverted personality who isn’t entirely comfortable speaking with media in his native Russian, let alone a second language, he doesn’t exactly mind having Crosby serve as the face of the franchise.
There are few other teams in the league where such a dynamic would exist.
Letang? He’s a different matter.
While he certainly has dealt with numerous health woes throughout his career, even ones that aren’t typical of the rigors of hockey — he suffered a stroke in 2014 — the 35-year-old Letang has been fairly durable the past three seasons as he has missed only 13 of a possible 207 regular-season games over that span.
This past regular season, Letang appeared in 77 games and set a new career-high with 68 points (10 goals, 58 assists), sixth-most in the NHL among defensemen.
Perhaps most importantly, he has clocked an average of 25 minutes, 47 seconds of average ice time per game, fourth-most among all defensemen.
At the same time, Letang’s cap hit this season is only the 19th-largest of all defensemen in the league.
Add in the fact that right-handed defensemen — like Letang — are always a little bit tougher to find than lefties, and a lot of things suggest Letang could command a considerable pay raise this summer.
Letang largely has declined to discuss the matter, claiming he has not directed much thought to it.
“I don’t really think about this right now, to be honest,” Letang said. “There’s a lot of guys without contracts coming up (in the upcoming offseason). Right now, I’m just trying to play my game, bring the same level. My goal is every time I enter the year, is to win another Stanley Cup (title). That’s what I focus on. The rest is going to take care of itself.”
The Penguins have other free agents to address this upcoming offseason. Forwards Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues and backup goaltender Casey DeSmith can hit the open market. Additionally, they officially can begin contract negotiations with players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in the 2023 offseason such as defenseman Brian Dumoulin and goaltender Tristan Jarry.
But the so-called “big three” — or at least 67% of them — will dictate the long-term future of the franchise, just like they have for the past 15 years.
“They are the team,” Lovejoy said. “They were the team the entire time that I was there. (Owners Lemieux) and Ron Burkle loom in the background, but they’ve empowered those guys to be hockey in Pittsburgh. Thinking about the (possible) end of that trio makes me sad. I still feel connected to Pittsburgh and the Penguins because I feel like those guys are still the team. They were a special part of my life and an incredibly special part of the city of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
This era of the Penguins has been special. And they acknowledge it could soon be coming to an end in some fashion.
But they aren’t dwelling on that.
“As much as you don’t want to think about it, it’s something that you understand that could be a possibility,” Crosby said. “You just try to enjoy it as much as you can and take it all in because you know it’s not something that’s going to last forever, whether it’s this year or down the road a little bit more.
“You only get to play for so long. Just trying to enjoy it and just be grateful for the opportunity to do it again.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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