King Jemison's Penguins chat: 07.09.26
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Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:52
Have you had much contact with new ownership? What if any changes will be seen on ice if any or will this ownership change be only evident off the ice at least this year?
King Jemison
12:54
I have met the Hoffmanns and obviously heard their comments at the press conference a couple of weeks ago. Since they fully back Dubas to make hockey decisions, I'm not sure if they'll have a huge impact on the ice immediately. But it sounds like they want the team to stay competitive now, so perhaps that makes it less likely the Penguins will take an intentional step back.
Garrett
12:54
Dubas is obviously walking a tightrope. If the Pens begin to stagnate after Crosby is gone in a few years, do you foresee him getting treatment similar to what Yzerman is getting in Detroit now? Or will fans have more patience, considering he'd been trying to please 2 masters for a decade?
King Jemison
12:56
Great question. Dubas' approval rating is really high right now, and he's earned that. But if the team loses in the first round again next season or barely misses the playoffs without getting a high draft pick, I imagine fans' patience will start to wear thin. As for post-Crosby, the Penguins probably need to have some bad years to replenish top talent. That doesn't mean the GM won't be blamed for those bad years.
Jim
12:56
What are the Pens plans regarding EK? Trade or extend? Hopefully they do not just lose him to free agency without getting anything for him.
King Jemison
12:58
I'll point you to the first question in this chat. But short answer: I don't know their plans, and I'd doubt they've fully decided what they're going to do with Karlsson, either. It seems like the most probable path is that they'll start the season with him on the team and see how things are going. If they're going poorly by the deadline, I'd imagine they'll look to trade him. I doubt they
12:59
I doubt they'll extend him this summer, but I could see him getting another short-term contract next summer if he plays well again. But letting him walk in free agency is not the end of the world. They can use that cap space to do something else.
Garrett
1:00
King, you seem like a talented reporter. No problems so far. But I just searched for some background information. Spill the beans, are you a closet Nashville Predators fan? Haha. We won't hold it against you:)
King Jemison
1:01
Thank you, Garrett! I'm glad I passed the background check, too. I honestly didn't grow up a huge Predators fan, so you can ease your worries there. It was exciting to live in Tennessee during the Pred-Pens Cup Final. That was the first time the state really got excited about hockey.
Jim
1:01
If you had to guess, what big trade will the Pens make?
King Jemison
1:02
It sure seems like there's a lot of smoke about Robertson. Pettersson is possible, too, if he would agree to come to Pittsburgh. I wrote a story with six possible trades for the Penguins yesterday. Of those six, I'll guess that Shane Wright is the most likely. He just fits the Dubas profile to a T.
Garrett
1:03
Crosby has time and time again left money on the table, they're saying over $50million over his career in PIttsburgh. Last year, he and his agent seemed upset that he left money on the table, but the Penguins were still $8.4 million under the cap. Do you see him taking more than $8.7 million on his next deal, or at least threatening to if management doesn't put back into the team what he left on the table?
King Jemison
1:05
I mean, that would be a fair thing for Crosby to be upset about. Even if part of his decision to take $8.7 million is superstition-based, it's still a sacrifice. He's not making that sacrifice so that the owners can save money. He's making it so they can win. But I doubt he views it as a 1-for-1 with the team's cap space. Spending to the cap just to do it is unwise because you'll end up making deals that hurt you long-term. If I were Crosby, seeing all the contracts getting handed out these days, I would ask for more. But he is wired very differently from most guys.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
1:05
Should the Pens be transparent about this being the last season for Letang and Malkin so they can do their farewell tour this year as Pens or don't make a big deal out of it in case they have spectacular seasons and might squeeze another year out of both of them?
King Jemison
1:08
A good one to end on. A farewell tour for the farewell question. First of all, I hate to break it to you, but Letang is signed for 2027-28. So this probably isn't his farewell tour. As for Malkin, I can't imagine the Penguins want him back for another year after this one, so framing it as a farewell tour would make that easier. Who knows what 71 wants, though. At one point last season, he at least joked that he might want to play for two more years.
1:09
Thanks so much for joining, everybody! I look forward to chatting with y'all again.
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