MONTREAL -- Kris Letang's six-year contract extension with an affordable $6.1-million cap hit gives the Penguins some additional clarity on where things stand as they look to fill out the remainder of their roster this summer.
The Penguins have two goaltenders, seven defensemen and nine forwards under contract and expected to be on the NHL roster, with just over $15.3 million to spend.
The Penguins prioritized getting Letang's extension done before moving on to serious talks with Evgeni Malkin's side, wishing to have Letang's deal in place first so they could have a better idea of how much room they have for Malkin's contract.
In the 24 hours since Letang signed his extension, not much has changed with Malkin's status. But the Penguins are continuing to have negotiations with Malkin and his agent, Ron Hextall told reporters prior to Day 2 of the draft in Montreal on Friday.
"We're working away," Hextall said. "Just keep chipping away and see if we can find common ground with both sides. We'd certainly like to."
Hextall said that he wasn't "confident" that a deal would get done soon, but he said that he wasn't "confident" one would get done with Letang the day before Letang signed, either.
"That's how these things work," Hextall said. "We're going to keep chipping away. We said right from the start we'd like to bring Geno back, and I strongly believe he wants to come back. We'll continue to work at it and hopefully come to an agreement."
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• Hextall said he had no hesitation when it came to giving Letang a six-year deal.
"Kris is very special in the way he trains," Hextall said. "He's a very gifted athlete. We believe he's going to play a number of years, as does he. We were comfortable with the deal and certainly thrilled to get him under contract."
• Hextall didn't share which of the Penguins' restricted free agents they would and would not qualify, saying that they're still having those discussions, and in some cases trying to work out an actual deal with the player first. Qualifying offers are due on Monday. RFAs not qualified will become unrestricted free agents.
• Same goes for the Penguins' unrestricted free agents, with Hextall saying that the situation is like a puzzle. Sounds like those conversations with other UFAs won't happen until Malkin's deal is done, at least on a serious basis. Hextall did say that they're keeping "open lines" with all of their UFAs.
• Hextall said that it's "fair to say" that the Penguins would like to shed salary via a trade before free agency opens, but it's "easier said than done. Not a whole bunch of teams are looking to add salary."
• Jason Zucker said on the Penguins' locker room cleanout day that he wasn't sure if surgery would be a possibility for him this summer. I asked Hextall, and he said it isn't. Zucker is "progressing well," he said.
• Asked about how Tristan Jarry is doing physically, Hextall said that he's "good. I'm sure he was a little sore after (Game 7), but he's been fine since. We're looking for big things from him next year,"
