NHL Rumors: Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs

Pittsburgh Penguins: Contract Decisions and Potential Extensions

Sidney Crosby, with one year remaining on his contract, is reportedly interested in extending his stay with the Penguins, and it's widely believed he won't be playing his final season. Despite increased trade speculation surrounding Erik Karlsson due to his performance, there's a strong indication that he won't be traded and could even be offered a contract extension for a few more seasons. A trade is unlikely even without an immediate extension.

The Penguins are also expected to make a contract offer to pending unrestricted free agent forward Anthony Mantha. Goaltender Stuart Skinner, another pending UFA, presents a decision for Pittsburgh. While the team might be interested in re-signing him, his desire for a longer term, potentially clashing with the Penguins' existing goaltending prospects, could prevent a deal.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Weighing a Matthew Knies Trade

Matthew Knies, 23, with five years remaining on his $7.75 million contract, has surfaced in trade discussions, prompting the question "Why not?" from at least one league executive. A potential trade for Knies could spark a broader bidding war compared to a hypothetical trade involving Auston Matthews or William Nylander. This is because Knies lacks trade protection until 2030-31, unlike Matthews and Nylander who possess no-movement clauses that limit their destinations. Trading Knies could allow the Maple Leafs to acquire multiple valuable assets.

Potential suitors like the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Utah Mammoth possess significant assets. The strategy would be to accept the best offer for Knies, even if it comes from a division rival like Montreal, who could offer prospects such as Michael Hage, Owen Beck, David Reinbacher, or Kaiden Guhle. Previous discussions under former GM Kyle Dubas involved a potential trade with the Blackhawks for Knies, Petr Mrazek, and a first-round pick in exchange for Brandon Hagel and Marc-Andre Fleury, though Hagel was later dealt to Tampa Bay. The Utah Mammoth also have promising prospects like Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, Maveric Lamoureux, and Daniil But.