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Penguins GM Hextall Says FSG Owners on Board with Offseason Plans

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Pittsburgh Penguins, Evgeni Malkin

CRANBERRY — There was a little drama with the Pittsburgh Penguins last week. Multiple reports indicated the Fenway Sports Group was evaluating GM Ron Hextall and Penguins management to determine their suitability and critique their plans for the next step after the Penguins lost their fourth straight opening playoff series last Sunday in New York.

Hextall met with media on Monday afternoon to put the disappointing final bow on the 2021-22 season, which was full of surprising performances, absences, but ultimately Round One disappointment, again.

Hextall pinned down Bryan Rust on Saturday. While Hextall did not specifically say Rust was his top target, the timing of the signing before both Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin spoke loudly.

Perhaps knowing the percolating questions about his job security, Hextall mentioned multiple times that he’s been in touch with the Penguins’ new ownership group, which is not quite the singularly invested mom-and-pop shop that the Lemieux Group was. And Hextall confirmed the new folks signing the checks are on board with the Penguins’ offseason plans.

Obviously, in the end, you’ve got to get it done. So our plan is to continue on–trying to win the Stanley Cup. FSG group is totally on board, the management team and coaches are on board. So signing Rusty, he’s a very good player. He’s an important piece of our team. He plays a lot with Sid or Geno,” Hextall said. “He can move up and down your lineup and kill penalties play in the power play. So that was an important signing for us for sure.”

Rust had 58 points in 60 games this season, which was a career-high. He was part of the Penguins’ typically dominant topline, which was responsible for more than 40% of the Penguins’ 5v5 offensive output.

The questions were asked. In every way possible. However, Hextall couldn’t commit to much of the Penguins’ offseason plan beyond his desire to sign Malkin and Letang and the obvious salary cap impediments.

When asked what he thought his team needed a bit more of this season, he quipped, “salary cap space!”

The Fenway Group remains a somewhat unknown commodity. There was little doubt where Mario Lemieux’s heart rested. But John Henry and Fenway didn’t raise Sidney Crosby from an 18-year-old houseguest with the weight of a franchise on his shoulders, nor did Fenway play its entire career for an organization and recognize the uniquely significant achievement of playing an entire career for one team.

Pittsburgh Penguins Ownership

FSG doesn’t have the burden of those loyalties to Letang and Malkin, but any wonder about FSG hedging on Hextall seems to be put to rest.

“We’re moving forward here, trying to be as good as we can, be a contender. So everything’s good. They’re totally committed to winning, as are we as a management group and coaching staff,” reaffirmed Hextall. “So we’re just going to move along with the summer. We’ve got some things that we’re looking to add to staff. So we’re moving along. And as I said, the communication with the Fenway Group is good.”

As much as Hextall wants to re-sign the other members of his core, it does appear unlikely unless he gets some help from the players. After signing Rust, the PHN Penguins salary cap examination shows the Penguins have just under $24 million to spend and more than six roster spots to fill.

“…We have had discussions very recently. And will continue to have those discussions. We would like to sign both (Letang and Malkin),” said Hextall. “I think if you look at them individually, they’ve both been here 16 years. I mean, Geno’s obviously been a great player, certainly one of the best players in the history of the game. And we’d like to keep him with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the rest of his career. In a perfect world, Geno retires as a Penguin. And I think Tanger is the same.”

It will be a juggling act and Hextall sidestepped a question about replacing Malkin with an in-house candidate, though he indicated they would go outside for a replacement but firmly repeated that he didn’t want to discuss that idea because signing Malkin is the priority.