With the NHL offseason now underway, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.
2016-17 Grade: A+ (Duh)
The NHL belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins' rise from bankruptcy to dynasty has been on the backs of forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The two cornerstones have remained elite anchors despite injuries to defenseman Kris Letang and turnover at nearly all other positions.
Just as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury began to crumble in the 2017 postseason, Matt Murray returned from injury at precisely the right time to carry Pittsburgh past the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference finals and win his second Stanley Cup while still being considered an NHL rookie.
Young forwards Conor Sheary and Jake Guentzel did not look at all out of place on the wings of the top line beside Crosby. Defenseman Justin Schultz ensured he will no longer need to accept one-year contracts, as he emerged as one of the league's top defenders through the regular season and playoffs.
Free Agents
General manager Jim Rutherford heads into his fourth offseason in charge of retooling the Penguins' roster. The biggest key for Rutherford this offseason may be setting up his team for next summer, with just five forwards and two defensemen currently under contract for the 2018-19 season.
Letang's return from injury will serve as Pittsburgh's biggest offseason move, as they re-add one of the top defenders in the league.
Pittsburgh's perennial dominance has afforded the team the luxury of signing players at discounted prices in recent years, but the allegiances of Sheary and Schultz will be put to the test with big paydays ahead.
| Player (Position) | 2017-18 Status | Age | 2016-17 Cap Hit | 2016-17 Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Cullen (F) | UFA | 40 | $1.0M | 31 |
| Nick Bonino (F) | UFA | 29 | $1.9M | 37 |
| Josh Archibald (F) | RFA | 24 | $659K | 3 |
| Chris Kunitz (F) | UFA | 37 | $3.85M | 29 |
| Conor Sheary (F) | RFA | 25 | $668K | 53 |
| Oskar Sundqvist (F) | RFA | 23 | $701K | 0 |
| Trevor Daley (D) | UFA | 33 | $3.3M | 19 |
| Ron Hainsey (D) | UFA | 36 | $2.83M | 17 |
| Brian Dumoulin (D) | RFA | 25 | $800K | 15 |
| Justin Schultz (D) | RFA | 26 | $1.4M | 51 |
| Mark Streit (D) | UFA | 39 | $5.25M | 27 |
| Chad Ruhwedel (D) | UFA | 27 | $575K | 10 |
Matt Cullen's future remains undecided, but retirement seems the likely resolution. Veteran defenders Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit may also elect to call it a career and go out as champions.
The Penguins are projected to have nearly $13 million in cap space, with 16 players signed. Sheary, Guentzel, and Schultz are all due significant raises, while Nick Bonino could command more than a third-liner's salary. Look for Pittsburgh to fill any roster holes with a fresh crop of veterans looking to serve as complements to the championship roster.
2017 Draft Picks
The addition of the Vegas Golden Knights forces the Penguins into draft slot No. 31 to close the first round. They didn't have a first-round pick last year as a result of the Phil Kessel trade. It's safe to say Rutherford and Co. are more than happy with the results of that decision. They also went without a first-round pick in 2015 as a result of acquiring David Perron from the St. Louis Blues. They've made just two first-round selections since 2012, taking Olli Maatta and Kasperi Kapanen (who was part of the Kessel trade).
Maatta is the only first-round pick the Penguins have retained since taking Crosby No. 1 overall in the 2005 entry draft.
| Round | Picks |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 2 (from OTT) |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 |
Pittsburgh is just one pick shy of a full assortment, as they recouped a bonus fifth-round pick by trading Mike Condon to the Senators.
Summer Priorities
1. Get rid of Fleury
Moving Fleury will allow Pittsburgh to save $5.75 million against the salary cap. He has already waived his no-movement clause, so protecting him won't be an issue, and no team needs $9.5 million invested in goaltending.
Tristan Jarry is already signed at a cap hit of $630,833 on the final year of his entry-level contract. He made just one NHL start in 2016-17, but he posted a .925 save percentage through 45 AHL games. He should be capable of handling backup duties. Should Murray get hurt or Jarry prove to not be ready, backup goalies are always available through trade.
2. Fill out the defense with multi-year contracts
Letang and Matta are both signed through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season, but 28-year-old Ian Cole is the only other defender signed for 2017-18. Both Brian Dumoulin and Schultz are set to enter restricted free agency and are due dramatic raises following excellent postseasons where they ranked first and fourth on the team in average ice time.
Both D-men could command cap hits of $6 million on multi-year deals, eating up most of the team's cap room, even with Fleury presumably coming off the books. Alongside Letang and Maatta, Dumoulin and Schultz would certainly give the Penguins one of the best defensive units for the next several seasons.
Pittsburgh is likely out of the realm of possibility for free-agent Kevin Shattenkirk, but the Pens could look to land the likes of Michael Del Zotto or Johnny Oduya on two-to-four-year deals.
3. Add center depth
Even if Cullen were to return for the 2017-18 season, it would be for nothing more than a penalty-killing role on the fourth line. Bonino is likely to seek a top-six role - and the accompanying paycheck - elsewhere.
The free-agent center market isn't overly appealing, but Martin Hanzal is coming off a very disappointing year and could be available for a short-term prove-it deal. If not, Pittsburgh could attempt to find this year's version of Bonino by trading for a young and struggling center with offensive potential.
2017-18 Outlook
It's a fool's errand to predict the downfall of Pittsburgh's dynasty. The team will always be competitive for as long as Crosby and Malkin remain paired together.
With Sheary and Guentzel helping to make the team a bit younger up front, they again have the luxury of adding a few Cup-chasing veterans. Full years will be needed from Murray and Letang, as defensive depth projects to be the biggest difference between next year's roster and this one.
COL | VAN | NJD | ARI | BUF
DET | DAL | FLA | LAK | CAR
WPG | PHI | TBL | NYI | WSH
TOR | CGY | BOS | SJS | STL
NYR | EDM | MTL | ANA | MIN
CBJ | CHI | OTT | NAS | PIT
LGK
(Photos Courtesy: Getty Images)
