Bellowing Moose

YOUNG AND RESTLESS -

They are young, talented and surging through the playoffs.

And for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the clock may be ticking on winning the Stanley Cup.

How can that be for a team that boasts some of the best young players in the game in Sidney Crosby (20), Evgeni Malkin (21) and Marc-Andre Fleury (23)?

It’s simple: the economics of their market, and more importantly, the salary cap.

While Pittsburgh has done a remarkable job assembling this group of young talent (finishing last all those years didn’t hurt either), it must now find a way to fit them all in their payroll without going a) over the cap or b) broke.  Again.

Here is what the Pens are facing:

Summer of 2008
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is a restricted free agent, and sure to be looking for a huge increase on the $1.6 million he’s getting now, perhaps even triple.  On top of that a slew of Penguins are unrestricted free agents, led by Ryan Malone, who currently makes $1.5 million and will also likely command at least triple that on the open market.

Marian Hossa, acquired at the deadline at a steep price, will be charging an even steeper one in the summer as a UFA, probably something in the neighborhood of $7 million per, which is too rich for the Pens.

Summer of 2009
This is when the crunch really hits, because it’s when Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal both come out of their entry level contracts.  Malkin is casting an especially large shadow, especially in light of Crosby’s five year extension that pays him an average of $8.7 million a year.  Get it?  Number 87 gets $8.7 million.

Trouble is, number 71 likely won’t be settling for $7.1 million.

Staal will also be line for a hefty raise, which will likely force Pittsburgh to not only choose between the two of them, but to select a few more bodies to cast overboard to make room.

Dynasties are hard to keep in the era of salary caps--even for teams that haven’t won yet.

NEWS FROM THE TRAIL

Burns-ing to return.
With all the coaching vacancies in the NHL (there are more than half a dozen at the moment), an intriguing name is popping up: Pat Burns.  The former coach of the Devils has not been behind the bench since 2004, when he took a leave of absence to battle cancer.  His name is surfacing around the league, and word is he’s ready to come back, maybe close to home in Ottawa.  He’ll be a hot commodity.

Why Stevie?
The Tampa Bay Lightning have already begun promoting Canadian junior sensation Steven Stamkos, which removes any doubt that they’ll select him first overall in the upcoming draft.  Why the hype?  The Lightning believe they’ve got the next Steve Yzerman on their hands.

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