Following their loss in the Stanley Cup finals, the Pittsburgh Penguins are faced with some key decisions as to which players they wish to keep in order to try and get back for another shot at the Cup.  The following Penguins are free agents this off-season:

1.  Marc-Andre Fleury

2.  Marian Hossa

3.  Ryan Malone

4.  Brooks Orpik

5.  Jarko Ruutu

6.  Gary Roberts

7.  Pascal Dupuis

8.  Adam Hall

9.  Georges Laraque

10.  Jeff Taffe

11.  Kris Beech

12.  Ty Conklin

13.  Mark Eaton

The big names on the list are Fleury, Hossa, Malone, and Orpik.  Fleury is a restricted free agent, so the Penguins will be able to match any offer that is tendered to him.  No team can contact Fleury until June 26th, giving the Penguins some time to try and work out a deal.  If Fleury is tendered an offer, the Penguins have the choice of either matching the offer, or letting Fleury go and receiving compensation draft picks, which would probably include at least a first, second, and third round pick in the 2009 draft.

This will probably not happen, as Fleury is the key player that the Penguins need to sign, especially after his amazing run at the end of the season.  After returning from his injury, Fleury posted a 24-8 record from the end of February through the Stanley Cup finals, with a 1.80 GAA and a .938 save percentage.

Fleury will probably take up a big chunk of the Penguins' available cap space.  Players like Taffe, Beach, Roberts, Conklin, and Eaton are expendable.  Laraque, Hall, Dupuis, and Ruutu are guys that could be signed for a reasonable price that doesn't affect any other players.  This leaves three of the top four free agents un-signed.

In a perfect world, Hossa, Malone, and Orpik would accept home team discounts to re-sign with the Penguins and give the team another shot at the Stanley Cup.  The Penguins most likely would be able to sign all three and fit under the cap for the 2008-2009 season.  The problem here is that Evgeni Malkin is a restricted free agent after the 08-09 season, and will most likely draw the maximum salary.  There is no way the Penguins can keep Fleury, Hossa, Malone, and Orpik, while hoping to sign Malkin the following year.

This brings the Penguins to a decision.  Do they keep Hossa or Malone?  The Penguins traded Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, their 2007 first round pick Angelo Esposito, along with their 2008 first round pick.  It might be hard to part with Hossa after just three months and a failed shot at the Stanley Cup.  Malone is a Pittsburgh native, and is more likely to accept a home town discount.

The smart move for the Penguins would be to let Hossa walk, and re-sign Malone, Orpik, and Fleury.  That move may be tough with the price the team paid for Hossa.  Above all, the most important move for the Penguins will be the need to re-sign their franchise goaltender.