PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Rogers SportsNet Hockey Central analyst Nick Kypreos has his finger on the pulse of the NHL, and he looks at a busy week for the Pittsburgh Penguins with Vinnie & Cook on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan.
The contract extension between the Penguins and defenseman Kris Letang still has not been made official. While some Penguins fans may be concerned, Kypreos is not.
“There’s just no chance in my eyes that this deal goes south when you’ve got a financial agreement that’s been agreed to by both parties,” Kypreos said. “He’s a special talent. Right-handed offensive defensemen in the NHL are at an absolute premium. Why would they have him leave now after they’ve agreed to term?”
“I really see this thing getting put to bed in a short period of time, and Letang and the Penguins will move forward.”
The Penguins may also need to move forward on several free agents, including Matt Cooke. Kypreos thinks Cooke’s future will include a big paycheck, but not a Pittsburgh address.
“He’s going to find a job,” Kypreos said. “And I think someone will overpay for [him] to the point where I don’t think the Pens can compete for it.”
Kypreos also dives into the realities of life in the NHL’s salary cap era, explains how Ray Shero is approaching his talks with Letang, and tells how far he thinks the Penguins really are from where they need to be.
