Rumored Penguins target Jack McBain receives qualifying offer from Utah

Kyle Dubas’ search for a new third-line center may have hit a snag.

Kyle Dubas’ search for a new third-line center may have hit a snag.

Jack McBain, described in multiple reports by The Athletic’s Josh Yohe as a target for the Penguins this offseason, received a qualifying offer from the Utah Mammoth on Monday.

McBain’s minimum qualifying offer was just under $1.6 million, per Deseret News Sports’ Brogan Houston.

That’s the same average annual value that McBain made on his previous two-year deal, which he signed with the Arizona Coyotes prior to the franchise’s move to Salt Lake City.

McBain has until July 15 to accept the offer. He could be offer sheeted, but the Penguins would likely have to give up draft compensation (the Mammoth would be owed at least a fifth-round pick if the offer sheet had an AAV of more than $1.54 million.)

Utah also has room to maneuver in negotiations, with more than $18 million in available cap space after trading Matias Maccelli to the Toronto Maple Leafs, per PuckPedia.

McBain recorded 13 goals and 27 points, both career highs, while skating more than 13 minutes per night in 82 games with Utah last season.

He logged significant time on the penalty kill while leading his team with 291 hits, per Hockey Reference.

Yohe last Friday that the Penguins were interested in McBain, and that Dubas saw the 6-foot-4 forward as a way to help the team “to get bigger and to become more difficult to play against.”

He again reported on Monday, prior to Utah’s announcement, that McBain was “a name to watch” for the Penguins.

Dubas may need to be willing to potentially give up draft capital in a trade for McBain’s rights or in compensation for an offer sheet if he continues pursuing the 25-year-old forward. Otherwise, the Penguins may have to look elsewhere in order to add center depth behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin next season.