Pens Points: The Captain Is Back

Here are your Pens Points for this Thursday morning...

Kris Letang’s long-term future with the Pittsburgh Penguins is up in the air right now. Letang, along with another franchise megastar in Evgeni Malkin, both have contracts that are set to expire at the end of this season. Negotiations have begun with the franchise’s best-ever defenseman, but the length of the new deal is potentially throwing a wrench into the negotiation process. [Pensburgh]

Sidney Crosby began his season in late October, finishing off his recovery from wrist surgery earlier this year. It took the 34-year-old captain a while to get his motor going, but the Cole Harbour native now has nine points in his last five games played. Take the points our of the equation, though, and Crosby is starting to look like the game-changing player he always has been. [Post-Gazette]

A third period goal by Brian Boyle in the last game against the Montreal Canadiens was set up by his fellow linemates, Drew O’Connor and Dominik Simon. Getting these more frequent contributions from depth players, especially while players like Malkin, Jake Guentzel, and Bryan Rust rehab from injuries, is delighting the Penguins. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL...

After a slew of new COVID-19 cases popped up around the league, most notably in Calgary, the NHL has announced a return to enhanced COVID-19 protocols, akin to what players and staff were used to during last season. [TSN]

The St. Louis Blues traded goaltender Jon Gillies to the New Jersey Devils for future considerations yesterday. [NHL]

Will the Canadiens change their coaching staff after the dismissal of former GM Marc Bergevin? [Eyes On The Prize]