MONTREAL -- The Penguins and Kris Letang are, indeed, as close to a new contract as I reported exclusively yesterday.
Ron Hextall, speaking today on the eve of the NHL Draft that begins here Thursday, said of the team’s ongoing talks with Letang and his representation, “Kris, I’m hoping to have something done real soon here. We have a few details we’re working through. We’ll see where it goes,” adding that it could be done before the event ends Friday afternoon.
Of Evgeni Malkin, Hextall said he'd been in touch with Malkin's representation as recently as last night, adding, “Geno, we’re still working. We’ll see where it goes. I’d be surprised if we don’t get Kris done. Geno, we’re still working at it. They’re at a different stage right now.”
The sequencing makes sense in conjunction with Brian Burke saying last week that the Letang contract needed to be complete before moving on to Malkin.
“Our two biggest priorities were Tanger and Geno,” Hextall reiterated, “and they still are.”
My source yesterday said it’s likely, though not certain, that Letang will get a three-year term. He made $7.25 million this past season.
Hextall acknowledged that other prospective free agents, notably Rickard Rakell and Evan Rodrigues, have had to wait on Letang and Malkin.
“We're certainly more comfortable doing it that way,” Hextall said. “But as we get closer to the date, we’ve got to look at everything and try to make all the pieces fit. We’re getting down to that date where we’ve got to make some decisions.”
One was made without waiting Tuesday when Hextall signed Casey DeSmith to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million. Hextall explained that he acted because of a dearth of backup goaltending expected to be available this summer.
“You look at the market, there’s not a lot out there. Casey’s a pretty good goalie. He’s played pretty well for us. He’s well-liked. He fits in. It was kind of a no-brainer for us.”
NHL free agency opens July 13, a week from today.
The draft, on the other hand, opens here Thursday at 7 p.m., with the Penguins holding the No. 21 overall pick. And that, to hear Hextall tell it, is where they'll probably stay.
“We don’t have a whole lot to move up, so I can't imagine that happening,” Hextall said, referring to capital toward a trade. “If anything, we’d move back.”
The Penguins' second-day picks will be, in order, in the fourth round (118th overall), the fifth round (150th), the sixth round (182ndl) and the seventh round (214th).
I'll have an all-hockey 10 Takes column from here first thing Thursday morning.