Penguins Plan On Free Agency Splash To Extend Stanley Cup Window

Jim Rutherford has revealed his vision for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they seek to extend their Stanley Cup window. This vision may come at the expense of existing players or through free agency signings.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are on the back nine of their careers. Many feel they're in need of a full rebuild to rejuvenate the Penguins' roster, but GM Jim Rutherford believes only minor adjustments need to be made.

"First of all, some of the things we've done recently are things we'll need to do more as time goes on. We want to be younger. And now we've got a very young, very good goalie signed. We've got some good defenceman too. We are really fortunate to find them and they're going to be big for us moving forward."

It appears that Rutherford is pleased with young their young players, such as Tristan Jarry, John Marino and Marcus Pettersson and believes they are integral to the success of the Penguins' organization. However, Malkin, Rust, and Letang are set to become UFA's in the summer of 2022. While he is not anticipating their departure, he plans to develop their young talent and scout the free agent market to ensure they remain competitive.

Jim Rutherford has a plan for the future. Sounds more like reloading than rebuilding. Check out what he told me right here: https://t.co/LaUhlgdnB4
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) January 4, 2021