NHL Rumors: Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs

Pittsburgh Penguins Eye Extensions and Free Agents

Sidney Crosby, with one year remaining on his current deal, is reportedly open to extending his tenure with the Penguins, a sentiment believed internally within the organization. There's a strong belief that this won't be his final season.

Despite heightened trade speculation around Erik Karlsson due to his performance, sources suggest a trade is unlikely. An extension for a few more seasons is a possibility, though not necessarily this offseason. Regardless of extension talks, Karlsson is not expected to be moved.

The Penguins are anticipated to offer a contract to pending unrestricted free agent forward Anthony Mantha.

Goaltender Stuart Skinner is another UFA decision for Pittsburgh. While the team has an interest in retaining him, Skinner might seek a longer-term deal than the Penguins are prepared to offer, especially considering their goaltending prospect pool.

Maple Leafs Open to Moving Matthew Knies for Optimal Return

Speculation is circulating regarding the availability of forward Matthew Knies. One league executive noted the strategic advantage of exploring a trade for the young asset, citing a simple "Why not?"

A potential bidding war for Knies could attract a wider range of teams compared to offers for stars like Auston Matthews or William Nylander. This is primarily because Knies currently lacks the trade protection that Matthews and Nylander possess, giving the Maple Leafs more flexibility to extract multiple valuable assets before his trade protection kicks in by 2030-31.

Among the teams with a wealth of assets that could pursue Knies are the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and the new Utah franchise. The consensus is that if Toronto decides to move Knies, they should accept the most compelling offer, even from a divisional rival like Montreal.

The Canadiens could offer promising prospects such as forwards Michael Hage and Owen Beck, or defensemen David Reinbacher and Kaiden Guhle. Historically, during Kyle Dubas's tenure as GM, there were discussions with the Blackhawks about a package involving Knies, Petr Mrazek, and a first-round pick for Brandon Hagel and Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Utah team also boasts a strong prospect pool, including Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, Maveric Lamoureux, and Daniil But.