3 hours Ago
It’s time to take a deep breath, as the NHL trade deadline has finally passed. Then again, free agency and the NHL Draft are merely three and a half months away, and many of the questions in this month’s mailbag are geared toward the future. So, let’s talk.
As always, thank you for the great questions. Away we go. Will they sign Mitch Marner? — @GoPenquins And so it begins.
You’re going to hear about Marner quite a bit between now and July 1 if he hasn’t re-signed with the Maple Leafs by then. The Athletic ’s Chris Johnston reported that the Maple Leafs are eager to get Marner signed but that the 27-year-old star appears to be hesitant, despite consistently saying he wants to remain in his hometown. Why do Marner and the Penguins make sense? That’s a pretty good case to bring Marner to Pittsburgh, right? Dubas often uses the word “urgency” when he talks about getting the Penguins back to championship-level hockey as quickly as possible.
Marner is a legitimately great player and would certainly help. However, at the risk of bursting your bubble, Dubas doesn’t sound like someone who is going to make a splash this summer. I sense that the Penguins are prepared to be something less than great next season, get another high pick, and then start making their move in the summer of 2026.
From talking to people within the organization, that’s the timeline. Spending a massive amount of money on Marner wouldn’t fit with that plan. Advertisement And if you’re Marner, would you want to come to Pittsburgh? Sure, it’s America’s most underrated city.
And sure, he likes Dubas. And sure, he’d love to play with Crosby. But the Penguins are in rebuild mode, and he would have no shortage of takers.
Therefore, I don’t think they’ll sign Marner. But if he’s available come July 1, they’ll at least chat to feel each other out. I just don’t think the timing works.
If the Penguins were a year or two further along in this rebuild? Yeah, that would make sense. What do you think Kyle does in the summer; does he use some of the picks to get some young players? — @ElliottsGoat I believe so. The Penguins possess an absurd amount of draft picks.
Many of them come in the first three rounds. They’ll keep and use the majority of those picks. But I would fully expect Dubas to use some of those picks to acquire a young NHL player he likes, and I’d also expect the Penguins, either this year or next, to use all those picks to move way up in the draft to take a player they like.
They have the assets to do it. They’ve got the quantity working for them. Now it’s time to eye some quality.
Can the Pens combine some draft picks with Erik Karlsson to get someone to take his entire contract off their hands, or will they eat part of it regardless? — @lebree104 I believe Karlsson will be traded this summer, though I don’t know that draft picks need to be included. It’s more about salary retention. League sources told me that Karlsson will be a desired commodity if the Penguins retain around $3 million in the final two years of his deal.
Karlsson, at $7 million annually, is someone teams would want, and the Penguins might even receive a decent asset in return. Stay tuned. It will be a story this summer.
If Tristan Jarry can play well down this stretch, do you think he can get moved? Or do you think the pens might actually keep Jarry and not consider a trade if he can play good down this stretch? — @IamSCORE_ceLLyz Everything is in play. I’m pretty sure there has been some lost trust that will never come back, but you never know. Best case for the Penguins? Jarry plays well down the stretch, it doesn’t hurt their draft standing too badly, and a team is willing to take a shot on him this summer.
Advertisement If they can’t get rid of him this summer and he plays well down the stretch this season and he’s their best goalie in training camp, then sure, he could be the guy next season. It feels very unlikely, but not impossible. And make no mistake, Sergei Murashov has the highest ceiling of any goaltender in the organization.
How do the Pens become competitive in two years per GMKD if mostly what we have are draft picks over the next 3 years? Please make it make sense — @jeffsublinsky As mentioned earlier, you can do plenty of things with those draft picks to expedite things. Is there any chance Evgeni Malkin will go year to year after his current contract is up? Or is he for sure walking away from the NHL after next season? — @AuthorJCybulski Sure, anything is possible. I bet he’ll retire after next season.
He knows he’s not the same player he once was, and I don’t think he’s interested in declining too much further. He’s got a lot of money. He’s got a first-ballot Hall of Fame plaque locked up.
I’m not sure what else there is to play for in his case. But — and this is a big but — if he has a good 2025-26 season, maybe he’ll have the itch to stick around. Maybe.
I doubt it. But only he knows that. Whose writing in The Athletic do you recommend we read regardless of the team they cover? (Rossi not allowed as an answer) — @sarasolnick Too many to mention, which is a horrible cop-out.
But to give you a few names ...
Give me your position on the Steelers QB situation — @gopens_fthecaps I’m all for bringing Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh. Physically speaking, he’s the most talented guy available, and it’s not close. I understand he’s on the decline, but I watched him play a couple of times late last season, and he looked great to me.
He’ll be another year removed from the Achilles injury. The Steelers have DK Metcalf and George Pickens, which means they’re only going to get the most out of what they have with someone who has arm talent. No one in the history of the sport, other than maybe Dan Marino, has had more arm talent than Rodgers.
Advertisement Yes, he’s a pain in the butt. We all know this. But Steelers coach Mike Tomlin knows how to deal with big personalities.
Plus, the circus would be amazing. I’m all in. If it’s a disaster, or even if it isn’t, draft your quarterback in the QB-rich class of 2026.
String cheese or cheese cubes??? — @DHunt_ Neither! I love cheese, but only when it’s melted. Do you drink Diet Coke? — @Pollchamps Well, if it’s the only thing available, sure. Coca-Cola is the greatest soft drink ever.
My personal favorite is Cherry Coke. But I have to say, Coke Zero is decent and better than Diet Coke. Kudos to my stepson, Brad, for recommending Coke Zero last year when I said I was trying to lose weight.
Water is best, of course. But if you have the cola urge — and, oh, I get it a lot — Coke Zero is good. You’re a ’90s music guy.
Who are your top five ’90s musical acts? — @cgibson724 So, you said acts. Not narrowing it down to singers, groups or bands. I see what you did there.
This is impossible. Here are my favorite ’90s bands, though this changes from one day to the next: Favorite acts? That’s tough. I enjoyed many of the women performers in the ’90s, from Alanis Morissette to Shawn Colvin.
And listen, I’m a big Jewel guy. No Doubt, too. It was a glorious time.
What are the best things about living in Pittsburgh and what are the hardest things? Asking as a lifelong Penguins fan who has an opportunity to move there! — @GrizzleyAdam930 The weather in the summer is pretty miserable, and you won’t see the sunshine all that often the rest of the year. The traffic can be obnoxious, though I suppose it’s like that in most cities. But really, you should come.
The only people I know who moved to Pittsburgh and didn’t like it are my ex-wife and Reilly Smith. I’m serious. I can’t think of any other people who don’t like it here.
Everyone is friendly. There’s way more to do than you might realize. It’s fairly inexpensive, compared to other cities.
And you may have heard that it’s a pretty fair sports town. Make the move. First round is on me.
Thanks for reading, everyone. A second part of this mailbag will drop soon. (Photo of Mitch Marner: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images).
