Pittsburgh Penguins: The Length Of The Window
By Tim Chiasson
The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off the only back-to-back Stanley Cups in the salary cap era. But how much longer will their window be open?
It’s an unpopular topic – a championship window – but it’s a reality, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are no exception.
Barring any bout of significant injuries – more than usual, that is – the Penguins legitimate Cup window is open for the next three seasons. At that point it’s going to start closing.
Numbers
After the 2019-202 Cup season they’ll have to pay Matt Murray more, replace Justin Schultz and deal with the cap numbers of whoever replaces Hornqvist and Hagelin along the way. They will also have to increase Conor Sheary’s cap number if he continues down the road he’s currently travelling.
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Jake Guentzel’s contract will need an increase over the three years as well, along with the remainder of the Penguins young roster fill-ins. Eventually you stop hitting home runs with free agent youth signings.
There isn’t anyone coming up through the pipeline to make significant replacements, so we’re talking with this group as-is – devoid of any prospect additions along the way.
Right now, after two straight Cups, the Penguins have an extremely large window remaining for the salary cap era. Don’t even mention the Blackhawks and their asterisk dynasty with those CBA circumventing contracts of Hossa and Keith.
Nothing Lasts Forever
A three year window for a back-to-back team is ridiculous. That’s how good the current core is – but it won’t last forever.
Facts are facts. It’s extremely difficult to continue winning championships in the salary cap era. The Penguins are going to need to start increasing salaries for in-house and attraction signings.
They’re also going to be dealing with three more aging years of Crosby, Malkin and Kessel. That’s without including Sheary at 28 and Letang at 33 – if Letang lasts in the NHL until he’s 33.
You could argue the window will be open for an addition two years – the time remaining for Kessel and Malkin’s current contracts – but it’s a weak argument. Age is a significant factor. Players just don’t have prime seasons at 34 or 35 years old.
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Of course the Penguins window will always be slightly open as long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can skate and breathe, but legitimately it’s going to dwindle. The only reason it’s open as long as it is is because the Penguins big three are elite.
Maybe you disagree, maybe you don’t. My reasoning is simple. It comes down to dollars and age – which is what windows always come down to in the salary cap era.