From Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Orpik, whose star shined late in the regular season and during the playoffs while playing with defenseman Sergei Gonchar, is not expected to command either of those salaries. But he is seeking a long-term deal.
The Penguins might entice him to take accept a little less than market value – likely no worse than $3.5 million annually – with a contract slotted at four years or beyond.
There is a chance Orpik will dip his toe into the free-agent waters July 1 and present the Penguins with a chance to match – or perhaps simply get close – to any offer.
Read the entire article here.
If Orpik does hit the open market, I expect there to be quite a bit of interest in the gritty defenseman. Whether the Penguins can find enough room to sign him, probably depends on their negotiations with Hossa and Malone. That reports seem to indicate talks with Hossa and Malone aren’t close, gives Penguins fans some hope that they can at least re-sign the steady Orpik.
