Penguins president Kyle Dubas doesn't expect to be aggressive in free agency
Kyle Dubas was beaming about his club’s future.
In a somewhat ostentatious presentation by the Pittsburgh Penguins at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry on Monday, Dubas stood up on the stage constructed on the main rink of the facility and showcased each member of the Penguins draft class from this past weekend, a group that would test capacity limits issued by fire wardens.
Some individuals of that group, ideally, will be part of the franchise’s next era of contention.
But that era isn’t here yet.
And it won’t be arriving by Tuesday when the NHL’s free-agent signing period begins.
Dubas, the franchise’s president of hockey operations, indicated the team will take a mostly understated approach to free agency for the second consecutive year.
Expect a similar route as 2024 when journeymen and castoffs were the Penguins’ most notable signings.
“They’re not going to be the long-range, big money guys in their 30s,” Dubas said after the draft class presentation. “It just doesn’t fit at all with what we’re going to do.”
Per Puckpedia, the Penguins have an estimated $19,616,904 of salary cap space. If they do dig into that figure, trades — including for pending restricted free agents — might be a more viable option at some point this offseason.
“We’ve got lots of trade conversations on the go for all different types of players. We’ll see the (pending restricted free agents). You can start talking to (restricted free agents Sunday) at 7 (p.m.) from other teams. So, we’ll get a sense for what the market is for them and what their expectations are because those are generally younger players that fit more with where we’re at. We’ll get to that point.”
As for unrestricted free agents, expect additions similar to those the Penguins brought last summer such as forward Anthony Beauvillier and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
“The types of players you can expect are not dissimilar from last summer,” Dubas said. “I would be surprised — unless if they were (restricted free agents) or trades — that we would do long-range deals with players. But we’ve got a number of players in mind that I think we can give opportunity to. They won’t be the one-year contracts. They’ll maybe be two or three where we could see if they can be a long-term part of what we’re trying to do here and be a part of when the team is back in contention.”
Dubas touched base on a number of topics on the eve of one of the most prominent dates of the NHL calendar.
• No decision on Evgeni Malkin’s future has been determined. Malkin is entering the final year of his current contract — a four-year agreement — and is eligible to sign an extension as of Tuesday.
But given that Malkin turns 39 on July 31, each party is comfortable in taking a patient approach toward potentially maintaining their union.
“I talked to (Malkin) at the end of the (season) in the exit meeting and followed up with him,” Dubas said. “And I get it. He’s in the last year of his contract, and it’s been a topic of discussion. But with the way we’re going to approach, we’re going to go in the year — as I told (Malkin) in his exit meeting and then (agent) J.P. Barry … we’ll meet at the Olympic break this (upcoming season — see where (Malkin’s) at and then meet after the (season).
“It’s strange, he’s going to be 39 at the end of July and he’s still playing at a very high level for a player of that age. And (he) obviously means a great deal to the community. Our major focus is on treating him right, pushing him to continue to be his best this year and do right by him by continuing to communicate with him on where he stands and handle it the right way as an organization.”
• For several months, the futures of forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell as well as defenseman Erik Karlsson have been speculated upon, even before the league’s trade deadline March 7.
Dubas reiterated any potential trades involving that group would require a substantial return, especially in Rust’s case.
“We’re going to evaluate everything,” Dubas said. “We’re going to do what’s best for the Penguins. But I mean, one of those players’ cases specifically, (Rust) means a lot to the team. He’s been a part of the team for the 15 years since he’s been drafted. So, unless it’s something that blows us away in terms of what it returns, then it could very easily be looked at to have us return to contention. That’d be a tough one. But we’ve got lots of calls on him. He’s a great player. Signed. But he’s also a massive member of the Penguins. So, we’ll continue to be open for business, but the price will be very high.”
(Note: The no-movement clause in Rust’s contract expires Tuesday. He will be entering the fourth year of a six-year deal.)
• The NHL’s deadline to extend qualifying offers to pending restricted free agents expired at 5 p.m. on Monday, and the only member of the Penguins to receive such an offer was forward Vasily Ponomarev.
Earlier this month, Ponomarev signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk of the Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. Extending a qualifying offer allows the Penguins to retain his NHL rights.
Forwards Connor Dewar and Philip Tomasino did not receive qualifying offers, but Dubas said talks were ongoing with each player for new contracts earlier in the day. A team source indicated discussions continued with agents for both players after Monday’s deadline.
Others who will not be qualified include forwards Raivis Ansons and Emil Bemstrom as well as defenseman P.O Joseph and goaltender Taylor Gauthier. They will be become unrestricted free agents Tuesday.
(Note: Ansons signed an American Hockey League contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for next season.)
• Pending unrestricted free agents will be allowed to go to market Tuesday. That group includes:
Forwards — Jimmy Huntington, Marc Johnstone, Mathias Laferriere, Matt Nieto
Defensemen — Nathan Clurman, Matt Grzelcyk, Mac Hollowell, Filip Kral, Colton Poolman
(Note: Hollowell and Krall signed with teams in Europe.)
• Dubas made one trade involving NHL players during the draft Saturday when he acquired defenseman Connor Clifton and a second-round selection in exchange for defenseman Conor Timmins (a pending restricted free agent) and defensive prospect Isaac Belliveau.
Clifton is a physical defender, and his abrasiveness appealed to management.
“We just felt that Clifton, at his best, brings an element that we’ve not really had in my time here,” Dubas said. “He’s a very highly competitive, physical guy that can be very difficult to play against. Won’t back down from anybody and I think brings a lot of fire to the game each night. That was something that we haven’t had. Obviously, I don’t think the time in Buffalo has gone the way he wanted to or the team wanted to there. … Just felt it was the best move for us right now and add an element that we lack back there.”
• All players who finished the 2024-25 season with medical concerns remain on schedule in their recoveries.
Note: On Monday, the team hired Mike Stothers as an assistant coach. He is expected to oversee the team’s defensemen and penalty kill.
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.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.