CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Sidney Crosby all made one thing clear in their season-ending media availabilities at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Tuesday.
They want the core to stay together.
For the first time in the 16 years that those three have been together in Pittsburgh, the possibility exists that they might not be together next season. In previous years, when one of the three was nearing the end of his contract, he signed a contract extension before his previous contract was up. Malkin and Letang both entering this offseason as unrestricted free agents is unchartered territory.
Malkin called Crosby and Letang his "two brothers -- one Canadian, one French Canadian" on Tuesday.
Crosby broke into one of his squinty-eyed big smiles upon being told of that comment from Malkin. He spoke about how much this time together has meant to him.
"I think we all feel the same way," he said. "We've been fortunate enough to play together for a long time. We've been through a lot. You look at all those experiences, there's a lot of belief, a lot of trust in one another. And with that, we've had success too. There's also a confidence level. That's very rare, and I think we all appreciate that."
Crosby said that he knows that this time with the core intact isn't something that "can happen forever." He's hoping for at least a few more years.
"Hopefully a little bit longer, hopefully we continue to play together," Crosby said. "It's unique, it's special. I think we've done a pretty good job as a group and as a team. So hopefully that plays into it, too."
Both Letang and Malkin were tight-lipped on where contract negotiations currently stand. Letang cited an agreement with Ron Hextall where both parties wouldn't disclose anything regarding the status of those talks to anyone on the outside. Malkin said that it was hard to look that far ahead after the "hurt" of the early playoff exit, and that he lets his agent handle the contract talks. He did, however, refute an apparent report out of Russia that his hometown team in Magnitogorsk was trying to lure him back to the KHL.
"I want to stay here," Malkin said. "I hope I stay here. I hope I retire here. But I understand it's a business."
The Penguins are pressed for cap space in the coming season. The salary cap rises by $1 million to $82.5 million next season, but the Penguins have already blown through that space with the existing contract extensions scheduled to kick in for players like Jeff Carter, as well as Jack Johnson's buyout cost rising by $750,000 next season. Both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are unrestricted free agents, and expressed desires on Tuesday to return to Pittsburgh for next season. Both could receive raises on the open market, especially in the case of Rust. The Penguins have options when it comes to shedding salary in other areas, but it's not going to be easy.
As nice as it would be to say that money isn't a factor, money is very much a factor. And if Malkin or Letang remained unsigned when the free-agent signing period opens July 13, they may receive some offers that would be tough for the Penguins to beat.
Letang was asked if it comes to that time, and he receives other offers, if he would give the Penguins an opportunity to match any offer. He seemed to laugh at the silliness of the idea, and said, "Of course."
It was back in December that Malkin was asked about his contract status and quipped that, "I'm not thinking about money. I'm like, a pretty rich guy." Malkin was reminded of that comment on Tuesday and played it off with a "Yeah, it's a joke, sorry."
Malkin has been keeping things pretty lighthearted when speaking about his potential salary for his new deal. Don't mistake that for him not caring about the value of his contract. He's still seeking what he believes he's worth.
"I believe I'm still a good player and I believe good players sign good contracts," he said. "If I say once that I'm a rich guy, it's not me saying I deserve a $1 million contract. (laughs) I know my price. My agent knows my price. I think the team knows my price. ... Money's not a big deal, but I have family, I have parents, I want a good future for them."
Malkin also spoke of the possibility that the Penguins could be the side that decides to just move on, which seems unlikely given that Hextall has gone on the record as saying that re-signing Malkin and Letang is a "top priority," and that Fenway Sports Group chairman Tom Werner has spoken publicly about a desire to re-sign both players.
"I don't know, if the team wants like, new blood, young guys in the team and say to me you should move on, I'd understand," Malkin said. "It was a little bit of a tough year for me. ... If I'm staying I'll be so much more happy. But if not, then, OK, I'll move my family to the other city and hope I show my best hockey."
Malkin said that he hopes to play another three or four years. Letang said that he sees himself playing "another four or five years, easily."
Crosby was asked the same question Tuesday, and said that he "didn't want to get too far ahead of myself." He said "three for sure," which is just the remaining years left on his current contract, and added, "We'll see after that."
He had to laugh upon being told of Malkin's and Letang's answers, but said that he wasn't surprised at how they responded.
"I'm glad to hear that Geno said three and Tanger said five-plus probably," he said. "I'm not surprised at either of those answers. Those are pretty much par for the course right there. But I'm glad that they're looking to keep playing. They can, and they're playing at a high level."
They want to play out those years in Pittsburgh. And they want to do it together.
"The main goal has always been to stay here and play in Pittsburgh," Letang said. "I certainly tried to help build something good here and obviously want to keep it going."
"Pittsburgh is my second hometown," Malkin said. "I've been here 16 years. It's amazing. ... I hope we find a way to all be happy. I believe it's amazing if you play 19 years, 20, forever with one club."
Crosby said that he's "never one to try to influence the roster" when it comes to these kinds of decisions. "It's not my job," he said.
Still, he made his thoughts pretty clear when it comes to wanting to keep this group together moving forward.
"The fact that we did play well (this season), I think that that speaks for itself," Crosby said. "I wouldn't think I'd be telling them anything that they'd be surprised to hear. ... I think guys' games speak for themselves. And I think especially with Tanger and Geno, what they've done and what they continue to do speaks for itself, too. So those are decisions that management have to make."
Mike Sullivan, reflecting on his experiences coaching this core group, said that it's hard to articulate what Crosby, Malkin and Letang have meant to this team, and called them the "cornerstone of that excellence" that the Penguins have built over the past 16 years.
"They're the guys that have established the standard of what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin," Sullivan said. "They're the guys that have built the culture of excellence that's been created here in Pittsburgh, that we've all enjoyed over the last 16 years during their career here. That's what I think they mean to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. ... They're the guys that have put the work in day in and day out that has allowed this organization to achieve the level of success that it's had during their time."
They're hoping to put in that work together for a few more years.
