Pens Points: Veterans in “wait and see” mode as off-season begins

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PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 21: <a class= — PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 21: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins chat against the Vancouver Canucks at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 21, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Garrett Behanna

Mon, May 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC ·

2 min read

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

As the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans begin the off-season, two of the franchise’s biggest stars are in something of a “wait-and-see” mode regarding their future. Captain Sidney Crosby hasn’t decided whether he’ll continue playing beyond the 2026-27 season when his contract expires. He could sign an extension this summer, but is in no rush to decide his long-term future. [ PensBurgh ]

Evgeni Malkin, on the other hand, is waiting to resolve his ongoing contract saga and see whether he will be a part of the team for the 2026-27 season. If he is not a Penguin, it appears Malkin has no issue donning the colors of another team to continue his NHL career. [ PensBurgh ]

The Penguins are likely headed for another off-season of major roster turnover, with uncertainty at center, defense, and goaltending, despite maintaining a veteran core led by Crosby. [ PensBurgh ]

Connor Dewar carved out a strong role with the Penguins this season, thriving as a reliable fourth-line contributor. But with Dewar set to become an unrestricted free agent, his future in Pittsburgh remains uncertain. [ Trib Live ]

Forward Filip Hallander has returned to Sweden to resume off-season training after missing most of the season due to a blood clot, with plans to be reevaluated ahead of training camp. [ Trib Live ]

News and notes from around the NHL…

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Mats Sundin as a senior executive adviser for hockey operations and John Chayka as general manager as part of the much-discussed front-office overhaul. [ NHL ]

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid played through a fracture in his foot/ankle area during the playoffs, head coach Kris Knoblauch said. [ Sportsnet ]