FSG Chairman Tom Werner opens up on new role as part of Penguins ownership group

If you had major concerns about what the new ownership group of the Penguins might mean for the status of Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, comments from Fenway Sports Group chairman Tom Werner might put you at ease.

Werner gathered with some members of the local media on Wednesday night, chatting about a variety of topics.

One of the first things Werner mentioned was how the place the Penguins are in as an organization is much different from when FSG took over the Red Sox in Boston.

At the time, the Red Sox hadn’t won a Championship in 84 years.

The Penguins obviously have had much more recent success, winning titles in 2009, 2016, and again in 2017.

Werner then went on to discuss how as an ownership group, they expect to have discussions daily with the coaching and hockey operations management team, but do not intend on making any type of decisions about the roster on a day-to-day basis, adding that Hextall, Burke, and Sullivan are trusted in their roles.

Finally, Werner opened up about the status of Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin, both eligible to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

Werner said “We know that they want to stay here and we’d like them to stay here,” adding how much he knows the two mean to the city of Pittsburgh, but also noting that those type of decisions will be reserved for Ron Hextall and Brian Burke.

One would have to think it bodes well for the future that contract extensions for Letang and Malkin could be in the works. Time will tell, but it sounds like the new ownership group of the Penguins would like the two to end their careers here in Pittsburgh, having played for only one team.