On practically every conceivable level, Penguins GM Ron Hextall had a very successful summer. Staring down the gunwales at a potential free-agent cataclysm involving Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, GMRH coolly stuck to his guns and signed the franchise pillars, and at discounted rate to boot.
When the negotiations dust had settled and the ink on the contracts was dry, Hextall had succeeded in bringing back not only “Geno” and “Tanger” but top-nine wingers Danton Heinen, Kasperi Kapanen, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust for practically the same combined AAV as the previous season.