Kris Letang Re-signs With Pittsburgh Penguins -

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced they have re-signed defenceman Kris Letang to a six-year deal worth $36.6 million. The contract carries a salary-cap hit of $6.1 million. Letang will be 41 years old at the conclusion of this deal.

Kris Letang Penguin For Life

PIT announces Kris Letang signed for 6x$6.1M AAV

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 7, 2022

There was some uncertainty surrounding the Penguins this off-season. Especially with Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin being unrestricted free agents. It was going to take a lot to keep one of these key players. However, general manager Ron Hextall was certain he was going to re-sign Letang as he told the media prior to the NHL Draft.

“I’m hoping to have something done real soon here, but we’ve got a few details we’re working through,” Hextall told the media. “So, we’ll see where it goes. I’d be surprised that we don’t get Kris done”

Well, Hextall does not need to worry anymore about locking up Letang for insert year. Letang was one of the pillars of the Penguins during their three Stanley Cup Championship seasons. Not to mention a core piece on the Penguins defence. So Hextall wanted to make sure he got Letang done before moving on to Malkin.

“It’s always been the main goal, to stay here and play in Pittsburgh,” Letang said after the loss to the Rangers in Round 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. “I certainly tried to build something good here. Just want to keep it going.”

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Letang could have been an unrestricted free agent on July 13th, after he finished his eight-year, $58 million contract was up that carried a salary-cap hit of $7.25 million. The 35-year-old defenceman, who had some injury concerns recently, had a career season with the Penguins. He recorded a career-high 68 points to go along with a career-high 58 assists in 78 games with the Penguins. In addition, Letang added 10 goals while averaging 25 minutes per game of ice time.

The 3rd round pick (62nd overall) of the 2005 NHL Draft has spent 16 seasons with the Penguins. In 941 games, Letang has 650 points (144 goals and 506 assists). In 149 playoff games, he recorded 90 points (23 goals and 67 assists) winning three Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. In 2016, Letang was a major contributor to the Penguins winning the first of back-to-back Stanley Cups. The following year, Letang missed the year because of neck surgery. Considering what Letang has gone through, it is amazing to see him come back and play at a high level.

Going Forward

The Penguins will now shift their attention to signing Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh is trying to get this group of Letang, Malkin, and Sidney Crosby one more run at the Stanley Cup. Many people think their window is closing, but somehow the Penguins remain in the playoff picture. Keeping Malkin in the fold would do just that. Despite his injuries, Malkin is still a point-per-game player.

As Hextall pointed it, the negotiations with Malkin are still ongoing and he is less optimistic to get this deal finished. That is a situation to keep an eye on.