Welcome to Part 2 of the mailbag. Part 1 was a blast, and honestly, I could have written three because of all the great questions. Thank you, as always.
Hopefully, summer has been treating you all well.
Away we go.
Josh, do you think Sidney Crosby will win another Cup with the Pens, or do you think they will be middle ground until he retires? — @pittracefan1B
What a question. Part of me feels like everything about Crosby’s career has been so preordained that naturally he’ll skate off into the sunset raising his fourth Stanley Cup. I wouldn’t be shocked if he plays another five years, and I do think the Penguins have a chance to build a real contender by then. Five years is a long time.
Realistically, though, I don’t think they’re close to being a championship team, and the odds are against it. While I don’t think it will happen, nothing would shock me.
I will say, it’s almost impossible for Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang to win the Cup in Pittsburgh again. If Crosby stays around long enough and makes it to the top of the mountain again, it will be with an entirely different group than what he’s known.
Where did the summer go wrong for Kyle Dubas? — @eri1102
Nothing disastrous happened this summer. The Penguins didn’t do anything stupid.
Still, it was a frustrating summer. Along the way, Dubas and his front office made a couple of puzzling decisions: Parker Wotherspoon gone? Surprising. Eight years for Ville Koivunen? Stunning.
I think Dubas misread the market. He really thought he could slide up in the draft, and he wanted to, but the asking price was well beyond anything he expected.
As far as I can tell, he has pushed plans back a year because summer 2026 wasn’t compatible with his vision for the Penguins. I understand the fans’ frustrations. Dubas shares them. Nothing has been derailed; rather, the plan has been delayed.
Is Kyle still “aggressively” looking for trades, or is he comfortable with the team’s current structure and the logjam on defense? — @tanner9225
Oh, he’s always aggressively pursuing trades. That hasn’t changed, but most general managers are content with their teams by now, so seeing anything massive in August, while not impossible, is increasingly unlikely.
Josh, looking at how Dubas has navigated the past few offseasons with short-term deals and strategizing low-risk, high-reward trades, do you see a tangible difference in how the scouting and analytics department are operating compared to three years ago? — @Coltoncorby_
Great question, but no, not really. Top to bottom, Dubas’ staff is a little bigger than it was a couple of years ago. In 2023, it really did feel like Dubas was doing all the work and was essentially isolated on an island. It’s a little different now, as Dubas’s preferred confidantes, such as Brandon Pridham and Wes Clark, have eventually joined the organization.
I don’t see any tangible differences. There are just more people involved now, and Dubas has previously worked with them.
It’s no secret now that the Penguins are under new ownership. What is the first meaningful change you expect fans to notice under the Hoffmann family, whether it be hockey operations, fan engagement, the arena experience or the organization’s overall relationship with Pittsburgh? — @kyleDubasburner
I don’t expect any noticeable changes at first. While the Hoffmann family does have experience in hockey ownership, it’s still new to the NHL, and I think the family appreciates that the Penguins have plenty of employees who know what they’re doing.
My question is this: How hands-on will they be with Dubas? Fenway Sports Group couldn’t have been more hands-off. Dubas was, without question, the most powerful man in the organization. They just left him alone to do his thing.
The Hoffmanns spoke extraordinarily highly of Dubas at their introductory news conference. While I believe it was sincere, they have to be more hands-on than FSG. What will that mean? What will that look like? Will they get impatient? That’s what I’m looking for.
If the Penguins start strong again this year, will they look to bolster the roster or keep trying to move toward the future? — @solarious9119
I think it will be precisely like last season. If they’re in playoff position around the holidays, I could see Dubas getting aggressive trying to help them. Now,if they don’t look like they’re a playoff team and I were Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and others, I’d be very aware of all the trade buzz around the league.
Either of those scenarios is fine if you’re in Dubas’ shoes. The real question? What if they’re three points out of a playoff spot in February?
Does Karlsson have more value now after a great season or more value to risk that he plays great again, stays healthy at 36 and we sell on him at the trade deadline with this bad roster? — @Jeffs_Penguins
I like how you snuck in a shot at the roster, Jeff.
Karlsson’s value will dip a bit if he doesn’t play well this season, sure. Still, I think what he did last season will have a lasting impact. Fair or not, his reputation is that of a guy who can turn it on when he feels like it and when he’s comfortable. It only takes one general manager to really covet him. Even if he starts this season playing worse than last season — not sure I’d bet on that — someone will want him and offer something nice. In Karlsson’s case, given his age and that it’s the final year of his contract, I almost think his value is higher. You don’t necessarily want someone like him for too many years at this stage. But if a team thinks his presence could help in spring 2027? Sure, someone would take a chance and give the Penguins something valuable for him. They won’t have to worry about paying him for multiple years.
Looks like the big-market dollars are going to win out for a Texas team and Atlanta. Would either of those pay more dividends than a second Toronto team? And it’s sad we won’t have another Quebec team again. — @_Angerman_
The building in Quebec is a marvel. It’s the best hockey arena I’ve ever experienced. The Penguins played a preseason game there in 2015, and it’s magnificent. However, basic economics is at play here: The Canadian dollar has been weak against the U.S. dollar for years. I think a team in Houston would do really well. Atlanta? Eh, I’m not as big on that idea, but it’s still more likely to make the league money than any of the Canadian markets you’re mentioning.
I’m digging deep here, Josh. With the very likely upcoming MLB lockout, which Pirates player would be the most help to the Penguins if injuries get rough down the stretch? — @katietalkspens
I appreciate the effort. Given his talent level and natural leg strength, I feel like Konnor Griffin could be taught to play the wing at a high level.
Josh, just a specific hockey question. What are the rules of a faceoff? I don’t understand how some guys get tossed from the faceoff circle and some don’t. Are there rules for being in different ends of the ice or zones? Thanks, brother. Enjoy your work. — @MICHAELWOODROW1
There are a couple of simple policies, and a bunch of gray areas.
The player on the visiting team always has to put his stick on the ice first before the draw. Also, no one can touch the puck until it’s hit the ice. You also aren’t allowed to cross into the other player’s territory (kind of like the center line when you’re playing air hockey). Players get tossed for various reasons — one of which is linesman arrogance.
Players can get tossed because wingers have jumped into the play before the puck is dropped, for trying to time the puck drop a little too perfectly, for putting their stick down too early or too late, for not being lined up accurately — you name it. It’s all kind of subjective and annoying, though.
You may recall Logan Couture throwing a fit in the 2016 Cup Final because he said Crosby was “cheating” by anticipating precisely when the puck was dropping on draws, kind of like a pass rusher timing a snap a little too well but not getting called for being offside. Crosby won 70 percent of draws in Game 2, triggering the meltdown. Everyone tries to cheat on faceoffs, incidentally.
If your life was on the line, who would you bet on to keep a puck in the corner: Jaromir Jagr or Sidney Crosby? Sid is one of the best grinders, but I saw guys bounce off 68’s butt like he was an I-beam … what say you? — @pelagano
Great question. I’ll say Sid because I think he would take it more seriously if he knew my life was on the line. Jagr would probably just laugh.
Josh, you are kind of a world traveler now, so big question: What country has the best chocolate (candy) bars? What’s your personal favourite (yes, that’s the correct spelling, at least here)? — @007macman
I’ve had chocolate in Switzerland and all through Europe. The best chocolate I’ve ever tasted is in the fine town of Canonsburg, Pa. Sarris for the win, every time. I’m serious. It was good in Switzerland, of course, but I remember thinking to myself, “This is no Sarris.”
Call me a yinzer. Whatever. I’m not wrong about this.
Why do you torture yourself as a Sacramento Kings fan? You had the Beam Team year a few years ago, and that’s it since like 2006. Worse than the Pirates. Do you wish they kept Tyrese Haliburton over De’Aaron Fox in hindsight? — @graef_carson
I don’t know. I guess I’m loyal to a fault. C-Webb and Vlade Divac are my guys, and I remain loyal to the Kings as a result. But man, do we stink.
Favorite vacation spot? I know you get to see a lot of North America, but is there anywhere you go just to “get away?” — @cgibson724
The Outer Banks is my favorite vacation spot. When I’m on the road, I always take a few hours and sit at the Manhattan Beach Pier in Southern California. I don’t know what it is about that place, but I always feel oddly in touch with myself spiritually when I’m there, so I always spend time there.
Locally speaking, a stroll through Peterswood Park always takes me back to my childhood and is a happy place. And honestly, when I’m with my kids, I’m at my happiest, wherever we may be.
OK, therapy time is over.
I appreciate all of the great questions, everyone. Hockey is right around the corner. Thanks, as always, for reading.