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Sidney Crosby is in his last year of his current contract and potentially career.
Is Kyle Dubas doing enough to give him a legitimate run at a Stanely Cup? The Penguins have been fairly quiet this offseason.
They acquired Nicholas Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs and signed him to a two-year deal worth $3.25 million AAV.
They also signed Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $5 million AAV contract.
After that, they proceeded to lose 30+ goal scorer Anthony Mantha to division rival New Jersey on a deal carrying a $4.75 million cap hit.
Robertson scored 16 goals last season, while Kuzmenko tallied just 13 in only 52 games after suffering a knee injury in February that sidelined him until mid-April.
Kuzmenkos production projects to approximately 21 goals over a full 84-game season, meaning he and Robertson would combine for roughly 37 goals to replace Manthas 33.
The question is: will that be enough to give Sidney Crosby one last legitimate run? With the majority of the free agents now signed, here are the top three options still available: Laine played only five games last season before suffering a core injury that required surgery in October 2025.
He was cleared to return in January but was a healthy scratch for the Canadiens after being medically cleared.
That alone tells you quite a bit about where things stand with Laine.
He hasnt scored 30 goals since his third season in 2018-19.
While he did score 20 goals two seasons ago, staying healthy remains a major concern and creates significant uncertainty about what he can provide on the ice.
Kevin Hayes was already with the Penguins last season, but he appeared in just 28 games because of an upper-body injury sustained during training camp, followed by another unrelated upper-body injury in March 2026.
He has recorded just 31 total points over his last two combined seasons.
If Hayes were truly the solution, I think he would have already been re-signed.
His declining offensive production doesnt give me much confidence that he can help extend this final run.
Evander Kane is the best option of the three in my opinion, although this move wouldnt come without risk.
When healthy, he has shown he can still contribute offensively and provide valuable secondary scoring.
However, he has also developed a reputation from multiple reports as being difficult in the locker room.
While off-ice issues shouldnt always determine a roster decision, when theyre hockey-related they have to factor into the equation.
I also think it says something that a struggling Vancouver team appears unwilling to re-sign the hometown player.
The Verdict? If anyone is worth taking a chance on, though, its Kane.
You take the good with the bad and hope that, surrounded by a better team and staying healthy, he can produce somewhere in the 20-25 goal range.
This is likely Crosbys last run unless he decides to sign another extension after the season.
With Evgeni Malkin also expected to be finished after next year and more organizational changes likely on the horizon, those factors could influence Crosby to finish his career elsewhere if he wants to continue playing.
A Wild Card Move There is also the wildcard possibility that the Penguins attempt to acquire Jason Robertson from Dallas.
Now that theyve acquired his brother, it could become a factor in Jason wanting to sign an extension after arbitration, regardless of the tax situation.
Obviously, that deal would require a significant package, and Im not even sure the cap hit would fit.
However, moving out salary could create enough room to bring in Robertson on what would likely be a cost-controlled short-term contract following arbitration.
If Kyle Dubas wants to be aggressive, it could pay huge dividends, but it would also carry substantial risk.
The Final Opinion I really think, based on Dubas personality and the direction of his process, hes running out of time.
In particular, not re-signing Anthony Mantha for $4.75 million feels like a missed opportunity, especially considering the amount of cap space Pittsburgh still has.
A Jason Robertson trade feels like a Cinderella scenario, but if it somehow happened, it would completely change the outlook of this team.
Its an interesting position for Dubas to be in right now, and the Penguins are definitely a team to watch.
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