According to figures at CapWages, the Pittsburgh Penguins have roughly $249,229 left in cap space, with a budget that has ballooned to $87,750,771.
However, only seven players in the current lineup carry a cap hit over $5 million. So, where do these skaters rank among their peers across the NHL?
Well, the answer is quite surprising since Pittsburgh’s top five highest-paid players barely crack the top 150 highest cap hits in the NHL.
Kris Letang – $6.1 million (142nd)
Veteran defenseman Kris Letang is the only player on this list with the most years left on contract. In July 2022, he agreed to a six-year extension, with four seasons left and an annual value of $6.1 million.
Since Letang is 37 and has had his fair of injuries, nobody knows if he’ll finish out his contract and still be a member of the Penguins at age 41.
But, as one of the veterans with an abundance of experience, there’s no denying he’d have a spot in the lineup, but depending on how the next season goes, Pittsburgh could be in a rebuild and no longer a contender.
Evgeni Malkin – $6.1 million (141st)
Evgeni Malkin has spent his entire career with the Penguins. This upcoming season will be the second to last campaign of a four-year extension he signed with former general manager Ron Hextall in July 2022.
At 38, there is no guarantee that fans will see Malkin finish his pro hockey career in Pittsburgh, as rumors surfaced this summer about him returning to Russia to play in the KHL.
Malkin has been healthy over the last two seasons and hasn’t missed a game, but he is not the 100-point player he once was.
Kevin Hayes – $7.1 million (98th)
Kevin Hayes signed a seven-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in June 2019. He’s on the second to last year of the contract, valued at $50 million, and carries an annual average value of $7.1 million.
Hayes is about to make his Penguins debut in October. He is another veteran, and current general manager Kyle Dubas acquired him to get the team out of its postseason slump, which has lasted two seasons.
Sidney Crosby – $8.7 million (45th)
No one could ever argue that Sidney Crosby is a greedy person, still playing at a Hall of Fame level despite making $8.7 million a year.
As the longest-tenured captain in franchise history, Crosby could become a free agent in 2025 when his 12-year $104 million contract expires on July 1.
Even though he hasn’t inked an extension, he’ll undoubtedly take another “hometown” discount to help management continue to build a contender around him.
Erik Karlsson – $11.5 million (Sixth)
The Penguins acquired three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in a trade with the San Jose Sharks in August 2023. His current deal, valued at $92 million, was signed in 2019, and he has three seasons left.
Karlsson’s annual average value is $11.5 million, with a $1.5 million cap hit thanks to a $1 million signing bonus and $10 base salary.
The only players making more money than the Swedish defenseman are Auston Matthews ($13.2 million), Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), Connor McDavid ($12.5 million), Artemi Panarin ($11.6 million) and Elias Pettersson ($11.6 million).
Source Agencies
