Penguins’ GM Kyle Dubas Has Big Decisions to Make This Summer

At the end of last season, everyone expected Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas to tear it all down and go into rebuild mode. The Penguins were expected to land at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division this season and be a frontrunner to win the draft lottery and a chance to select Gavin McKenna first overall.

Instead, the Penguins had other plans. They qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2022 and battled back from a 0-3 deficit in their first-round series with the Philadelphia Flyers to 3-2. They lost Game 6 in overtime, but several players stood out in this hard-fought series, leaving Dubas with some big decisions to make this summer on what direction he wants to take his team.

Evgeni Malkin 

This was Evgeni Malkin‘s 20th season with the Penguins. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and has won numerous awards, including the Calder Trophy (2007), a Conn Smythe Trophy (2009) and a Hart Trophy (2012). He was in the final year of his contract, and it’s still unclear whether or not Pittsburgh will bring him back next season, since it did not seem like Dubas was interested in offering him an extension when the campaign started. 

Malkin played in 56 regular-season games, scoring 19 goals and 61 points. His performance is a big reason why Pittsburgh finished second in the Metro. He was also one of their top performers in the playoffs, scoring two goals through six games.

Malkin played like a man on a mission, and now Dubas has a decision to make. Will he stick to his original rebuild plan of adding young talent with all the draft picks he has stockpiled, or will he help strengthen an older core to aim for one last deep playoff run next season? 

Kris Letang 

Kris Letang was inconsistent this season, but his game leveled up at the right time. He came in clutch for his team in back-to-back games, scoring the game-winning goal in Games 4 and 5. He played a solid game on both sides of the puck throughout the playoffs, and his zone exits were clean and controlled for the most part. He was also good on the penalty kill, finding a good rhythm with Sam Girard. His age started to catch up to him this season, but he still made positive contributions on the ice. 

Letang has two more seasons left on his contract with a $6.1 million cap hit. With his continuing health issues, he may not have two seasons left in him. Dubas could buy out his contract this summer and pay him two-thirds of his salary over the next four seasons. However, that would leave a giant hole on the right side.

Arturs Silovs

Arturs Silovs took over the net for Games 4 and 5 and put the Penguins in a position to succeed, giving up two goals in each game for a .920 save percentage (SV%) after Game 5. In Game 6, he made 31 saves on 32 shots.

Last season, Silovs led the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League (AHL) to their first Calder Cup title. He is a restricted free agent heading into the offseason, and Dubas will have to decide what kind of extension he will be willing to offer him.

Dubas Has Another Busy Summer Ahead

Since he was hired, Dubas has been clear about his plan to make the Penguins younger. He added some youth to the lineup this season with players like Ben Kindel. There is also a slew of young talent ready to make the jump from Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Pittsburgh’s core had a strong regular season and a strong performance in the postseason. Dubas will have to decide which direction he wants to take this summer. Will he push ahead with his youth movement, or will he give his veteran core one more chance to chase a Stanley Cup?