PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 11: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) face-off during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights on March 11, 2025, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)
Strap in today. There was more dirt on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ ownership changing directions after buying the team. A former Penguins defenseman couldn’t find an NHL job this summer and has gone overseas. Elsewhere, there will be big money handed out next summer, and when the 2026 NHL free agent frenzy hits, we might see superstars change teams with enough money doled out to dwarf a small country’s economy.
After the terrible weather this summer, I hope you have a chance to get out this week. Make some time, eh? This is perfect.
PHN+ Subscribers: Our tech people are still working on the subscription issues and the email issues. I won’t lie, we’ve had a terrible month on those fronts and a few dozen of you. I’m about level 10 upset, and I’m keeping every one of your emails on the subject. Partnering with a bigger company to provide you more offerings and lessen the administrative burden on me was necessary, but I do lose a little bit of control to help create rat-rod workarounds–which is how we built the subscriber network and part of what’s causing the issues now. I understand some of your feelings, and I hope you’ll resubscribe when the problems are fixed. Pulling back the curtain, we’re waiting for a third-party tech support on the subscriber issue. We’ve pushed. And pushed. And they just don’t seem to know how to help and don’t care.
Welcome to 2025, I guess. We’ll get there because I owe you at least that much.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: I suppose the national folks didn’t view it as a bombshell, but I sure did, and I think you will, too. After taking over in 2022, Fenway Sports Group got cold feet and told former GM Ron Hextall to change directions–win, not rebuild and re-sign Evgeni Malkin. It’s just part of the mess. Here’s more on the Penguins’ ownership.
Of course, one of Hextall’s mistakes was dishing out a multi-million dollar contract to defenseman Jan Rutta. A couple of years later, he’s out of the NHL, joining the Genève-Servette Hockey Club of the Swiss League.
Steelers Now: Let’s make this simple–here is the live Steelers roster cuts tracker.
Pittsburgh Baseball Now: After all of the A-ball players that GM Ben Cherington has acquired, you’d HOPE there is some talent coming. Actually, Altoona is suddenly the place to be–there is a lot of talent on display. So, the important question that Danny Demilio tackled is, when will all of that talent reach the Pittsburgh Pirates?
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
DFO: So, what about show me the money? Kirill Kaprizov has signaled his intention to be very, very well paid, either by the Minnesota Wild or someone else. We’re all cautiously watching for a new Connor McDavid contract, but what about Jack Eichel in Vegas? Those players will all re-sign, right? There could be a lot of money splashed around.
Vegas Hockey Now: Hannah Kirkell is doing a wonderful job covering the Vegas Golden Knights. I’m so glad I hired her! She ripped a pretty good column on Monday on the UFA situation. Here’s why the Golden Knights have not yet re-signed Jack Eichel.
Montreal Hockey Now: I squarely put the Penguins in the conversation to take on Carey Price’s LTIR contract. Marc Dumont rolls through the potential Montreal Canadiens trade partners.
The Athletic ($): Filip Gustavsson (also a former Penguins prospect) finally made his NHL bones in Minnesota after failing to find traction in Ottawa. The starting goalie will be due a new contract next July, but Minnesota has other priorities. It’s yet another unfinished bit of business, but Gustavsson doesn’t sound too worried.
Boston Hockey Now: It was a rough year in Boston. A really rough year. And now bettors are running from the Bruins, making them a heavy favorite to miss the playoffs. However, they made some moves last summer that might pay off–or more specifically, they need those moves to pay off. The top of that list is Hampus Lindholm.
San Jose Hockey Now: Playoffs?! Playoffs?! Sheng Peng has a pretty good column that could be the Penguins, too. What has to go right for the San Jose Sharks to make the playoffs?
Tags: 2026 free agents NHL nhl trade
Categorized:Links NHL Trade Rumors Pittsburgh Penguins