TAMPA, Fla. — It occurred to me, while flying to Tampa on April Fool’s Day, that I forgot to write a mailbag in March. What a fool I am.
So, here’s an impromptu mailbag because we have a lot to discuss.
Away we go.
How does the Penguins’ success this season change the outlook for next season’s free agency moves? — @cgibson724
It’s a great question and one of the first that GM/president Kyle Dubas will be asked when the Penguins’ season eventually ends.
Dubas is a stay-the-course type. I don’t think what happened this season will change his plans. I’ve long believed that a big swing is coming in the summer of 2026, and I still believe it. The Penguins have loads of money and draft picks, plus prospects and tradeable NHL players.
This summer is the best opportunity to expedite the rebuild process by landing big-time, young talent. I don’t think that has changed just because Dubas’ remarkable 18 months have the Penguins on the verge of a playoff berth.
Remember when Evgeni Malkin was suspended right before the trade deadline? Dubas gave a great answer when asked whether it changed his thinking. He said that he reacted emotionally to it at first — he wasn’t happy with Malkin and implied that his impulse was to add a player — but then said that, as a manager, he can’t make emotional decisions. I think his mindset is pretty steady. This is a guy with a vision.
I love the season we are having but … I mean, there has to be a little concern that we might Washington Capital it next season, right? Brazeau, Mantha, Novak, Wotherspoon … is it possible they are all just having career years at the same time? — @ToddNY25
The Capitals are better than you think. They’ve been a little unlucky this season and still actually have a chance to make the playoffs. I bet they’ll be better next season because they have a lot of young talent.
But sure, I hear what you’re saying. The Penguins may take a step back next season, but it wouldn’t be a search for short-term gratification that would badly impact them. That’s what counts.
Josh, seems as though the debate whether to re-sign Mantha is leaning against it. I don’t see it that way. I don’t see anyone at WBS threatening as a top-six forward anytime soon. Thoughts? — @TheConfluence
I suspect this is going to be a very big topic this summer, and rightfully so. Anthony Mantha was projected to become an impact player for a decade. It finally happened at age 31 in Pittsburgh. Now, he’s an unrestricted free agent in a very weak market. Talk about leverage.
If you’re the Penguins, you don’t want to lose him, clearly. He’s been so important. You also don’t want to pay an outrageous amount of money to a guy who will be 32 next season. The Penguins are trying to get away from that sort of thing.
I do think they’ll try to bring him back, but I don’t think they’ll get into a bidding war. The contract length is more of an issue than the money. I could envision Dubas giving him a large raise, but I’d be surprised if he were to offer him a deal longer than three years. Maybe four, though I’m not so sure about that. But I can’t see the Penguins going five years or longer. Another team probably would give him five years or longer, and that’s the problem for the Penguins.
Of all the surprises the team has offered this season, what surprises you the most? — @jenny2hearts
Too many to mention, honestly, but probably the depth scoring. The Penguins have 12 players with 10 or more goals and probably would have 13 if Blake Lizotte were healthy. They have nine or more players with 15 goals.
Depth scoring has been a problem for many years. Now, it is not.
Who comes out of the lineup when Lizotte is back healthy? Söderblom has been awesome, seemingly can’t bench Dewar or Acciari. Good problem to have, but in a perfect world with everyone healthy, who sits? — @ByJoshCarney
I’ve quickly come around on Elmer Söderblom, who I thought I was especially good on Tuesday against Detroit. What a performance that was.
I had assumed he’d be the odd man out and they’d head back to this lineup:
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin
Justin Brazeau-Ben Kindel-Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
And maybe they will. But I don’t like Novak’s game right now, and he’d be my first choice to exit the lineup. Look at the players on those third and fourth lines. Who comes out? Brazeau is the only guy who hadn’t been playing well, but he rebounded. Novak is the only player who makes sense. Granted, the coaches really like him, so it may not happen. But if I were the coach, I’d consider it.
Would you do a goalie rotation in the playoffs? It’s unconventional for sure. Skinner has been the better goalie, and I’d go with him, but he seems not to mind the rotation. Keeping him fresh for the playoffs. — @AKAFloyd
The way Artūrs Šilovs has played recently should eliminate him from consideration. To me, the net belongs to Stuart Skinner.
There seems to be a lot of dumping on Kris Letang lately. Can you name three things that he still consistently does well? — @EricWall283961
He’s still extremely strong and physical, as we’ve seen lately. He remains an above-average skater, even if he doesn’t blow away the competition like he once did. He also works the puck to forwards better than most defensemen around the league.
So, there are three things. I’ll also add that he’s played very well in the past couple of games. Hopefully, for the Penguins’ sake, that’s a sign of things to come.
You’ll note that I didn’t include decision-making with the puck as one of the things he still does well. That’s been a major problem all season, along with his decision-making without the puck.
If Auston Matthews were to want out of Toronto after this season, would the Pens look into it? How realistic would it be, and would Toronto even consider trading its franchise player to a team run by Kyle Dubas? — @Pensfan1977
There’s the question I’ve been waiting for.
I don’t know what’s going to happen in Toronto, nor do I have a relationship with Matthews, so I don’t know whether he’ll want out. If he becomes available, I’d be stunned if Dubas didn’t make a call. The Penguins have the cap space and trade pieces to make a deal like that.
Two problems: Toronto would surely want Ben Kindel, and I don’t know that Dubas would trade him. As you noted, I also don’t know how eager the Leafs would be to trade their superstar to Dubas, who has been on the rise over the past year, as the Penguins climb and the Leafs fall.
Still, Pittsburgh makes a ton of sense if Matthews wants to play elsewhere next season.
Is there room for Will Horcoff after the Frozen Four? — @skiminer36
I doubt it. The Penguins love him, and he has enjoyed a breakout season at the University of Michigan. His future is bright. But I don’t think he’s NHL-ready.
In your opinion, is the 1989 Penguins highlight film “There’s a Team In The Building” the greatest retrospective of any local sports club? — @DavidWhipkey5
I still give the nod to “One From The Heart” simply because of the “dance of champions” line regarding the famous five-minute major penalty kill in Game 4 of the 1991 Stanley Cup Final in Minnesota. Phil Bourque took a magnificent dive to end that power play a minute early, I might add.
But “There’s a Team in the Building” is pure cinema, no question. The name alone makes me smile.
How will the NHL adjust the Pens’ playoff schedule around the NFL draft? — @ejonesoh1
A Penguins official told me the other day that the NHL isn’t planning on making any changes if the Penguins have home playoff games during the NFL Draft.
Reminder: The Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin April 18. The NFL Draft is April 23-25.
What a disaster this could be. The situation will be much better if the Penguins get home-ice advantage in the first round. In that scenario, they’d be out of town for Games 3 and 4, which are likely to take place during the draft.
If the Penguins are home during Games 3 and 4, all hell might break loose. How will people get to the game? The gridlock will be like nothing we’ve ever seen in Pittsburgh. Street closures have already begun and will increase. Where will the visiting teams stay? Hotel rooms are scarce. (If a couple of Blue Jackets or Islanders would like to stay at my home, I’m happy to work out financial arrangements.)
NYI fan here. How helpful to Crosby and Malkin’s careers do you think it was to make the playoffs so early on, but losing to Ottawa in 2007? I ask because if the Isles and Schaefer make it in and fall out early … I wonder how valuable that experience could be for Schaefer. Thank you. — @IslesDen
Great question. It would be huge for rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer. I’ve spoken with Crosby about it many times over the years. He said that, in Game 1 against Ottawa in 2007, it felt like the Senators had 10 people on the ice.
But he learned from it and said the experience was invaluable. Playoff games are so, so different from regular-season games. Every player will tell you this.
Which arena(s) have you been to that have the best playoff atmosphere? Which ones have the worst? I realize you haven’t been to a playoff game at every one, just curious how PPG Paints compares to others — @drichey87
Columbus is unbelievably loud in the playoffs. Great atmosphere. Washington, while not exactly known for having a big or rowdy fan base, gets surprisingly loud as well. PPG Paints Arena is middle of the pack. It’s a good atmosphere, but nothing like the Civic Arena was. And that’s not being an old-timer; rather, that building was built for noise, and the Penguins’ ticket prices have certainly priced out some of the hardcore fans. Worst atmosphere? Probably Ottawa. Doesn’t get loud. Also, I’m biased because I hate pretty much everything about working in that building. My children living close to there is the only thing I like about that trip.
Josh, do you believe the Penguins will re-sign Geno? Do you think bringing him back will play into a Sid extension? Thanks as always. — @jmadden34
I have long believed this is Malkin’s last season in Pittsburgh. I still do, based on what I’ve been told. We shall see.
Crosby will want Malkin to come back, yes. But I think he’ll sign another contract whether Malkin returns or not. I don’t like speaking for Crosby, but that’s my sense. He’s still playing at a high level, still enjoying himself, and the Penguins are good again.
Who does Sid hand the Cup to first in June? EK65? Stu? — @TheRealChunk
Let’s end with one with some positivity. If the unthinkable happens and the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in June — they’ve come this far, so let’s acknowledge that anything is possible — he absolutely will hand the Cup to Malkin.
Thanks for reading, everyone. It’s been fun chronicling this, the most improbable of seasons.