Penguins want to re-sign key vets Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust

Heading into Thursday's home game against the Seattle Kraken, the Pittsburgh Penguins had won 17 of 19 games to climb to second place in the Metropolitan Division standings and fifth in the overall league table, and they celebrated by signing veteran forward Jeff Carter to a new two-year contract. 

Pittsburgh general manager Ron Hextall confirmed the expected Thursday afternoon and told reporters he next wants to lock forwards Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust down on new deals, along with defenseman Kris Letang. All three can hit unrestricted free agency after the season, but Malkin hinted late last month he could offer the Penguins a hometown discount to stay put. 

"We've had discussions, but I don't negotiate publicly," Hextall said of the trio, per Wes Crosby of the team's website. "We've had discussions with those guys, and certainly they're a top priority for us. We have a limited amount of cap space, so to squeeze everybody in is certainly our goal. Whether it's possible or not, I don't know.

"With every player, there's a certain number you feel like you can go to and that's where you draw the line. But negotiations have been fine. We'll continue on." 

Malkin and Letang have won the Stanley Cup three times each with the Penguins and are two of the organization's greatest-ever players, while Rust hoisted the trophy as part of the Penguins teams that won titles in 2016 and 2017. For a piece published Wednesday, though, The Athletic's Josh Yohe speculated "it will be almost impossible for the Penguins to sign Malkin, Letang and Rust to new contracts this summer" due to salary-cap limitations. 

Captain Sidney Crosby celebrated his 34th birthday in August, which served as yet another reminder Pittsburgh's championship window will likely be fully closed by 2024-25 at the latest. Truth be told, the Penguins completing one last successful Stanley Cup run this spring could lead to veterans leaving Pittsburgh to sign massive deals elsewhere, especially if they think the franchise won't have the goods to repeat the following year.