Penguins Mailbag: Letang, Crosby, and Goaltending

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

It’s that time again! With the off-season in full swing, I decided to do another installment of an off-season Penguins mailbag. Thank you to everyone kind enough to send in their questions! I chose 5 of my favorite questions I was asked to answer in this article. 

@nhl_kyle on Twitter, who asked: “Do you think you guys (The Pens) bring back Letang?”
My answer is yes. I feel like if this team still wants to compete for a cup, they will make re-signing Letang a priority, but I believe he has a higher chance of not returning to the Pens over Malkin. I’m close on this, around 60/40 to be exact, but I think they ultimately will. 

@CueTheDuckBoatz Podcast asks: “Do you think Crosby retires a Penguin?”
My answer is an obvious yes. I cannot imagine a scenario that would have Crosby leaving this team. He loves this city, and I can’t see him wanting to leave, and I cannot see management ever wanting him to leave. Simply put, I don’t see Crosby leaving at all. However, anything can happen in this league, so I won’t say never. 

@jefflanejr asks: “Should the Penguins trade for Laurent Brossoit?”
I think he’s a solid fit on the Penguins if we don’t resign DeSmith. He could be a reliable backup who can play up to 20 games a year and win hockey games. Plus, the Pens could acquire him for a pretty low price. Solid backup for an affordable price? Yes, please. 

@JacobAbenante asks: “Does Malkin re-sign?”
I’ve answered questions about Malkin all off-season, and I recently just wrote an article on the Malkin situation. I still stand by the belief that he will be back in Pittsburgh next season. I think management has made him THE top priority to get re-signed, and I believe he wants to return. So to simply put it, yes, I think Malkin re-signs. 

The final question comes from @KevinSantangelo, who asks: “Who will be the backup goalie if DeSmith doesn’t resign?”
There are a few different options the Penguins could do. They could keep someone like Domingue as the backup, sign a free agent goalie, or acquire one via trade. One name that I like is Brossoit, as mentioned earlier. I don’t believe Alex D’Orio is ready for the NHL yet, so I’d count him out. There are a few other options out there, but I’m not sure the route the Penguins will want to take, whether they want a younger goalie or a veteran, so that’s more of a waiting game to see what happens. Also, before anyone asks, no…Marc-Andre Fleury is probably not coming home. Don’t get that idea, please. 

That wraps things up for this installment of the Penguins off-season mailbag. Thanks to everyone for their questions, and if you are interested in sending in your own, follow me on Twitter @Nshermeto04 and comment or DM the question(s). 

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Nik Shermeto

PT ‘23 | 🇺🇸/🇨🇦 | Penguins writer for Inside The Rink | Thoughts are my own.

Leave a Reply

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings with Line Combinations 4/21/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings with Line Combinations 4/21/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings with Line Combinations 4/21/2025

Read More

NHL Playoff Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations 4/21/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations 4/21/2025

Read More

NHL Playoff Preview: St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets with Line Combinations (04/21/2025)

St Louis Blues (0-1-0) at Winnipeg Jets (1-0-0)Venue: Canada Life CentreDate: Tonight – Monday, April 21stTime: 6:30 pm CST TV: CBC, TVAS 2, ESPN 2Radio: 680 CJOB (Winnipeg) & 101 ESPN (St. Louis) DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:St. Louis Blues +1.5 ML -170Winnipeg Jets -1.5 ML +142O/U 5.5 Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster St. Louis Blues News […]

Read More