The Penguins added two more depth players on Saturday with the signings of center Frederick Gaudreau and goaltender Maxime Lagace to matching one-year, two-way contracts worth $700,000 at the NHL level.
Gaudreau, 27, has spent his entire six-year professional career in the Predators organization. He played the full 2019-20 season in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 11 goals and 17 assists in 42 games. His only full season in the NHL came in 2018-19, when he scored three goals and one assist in 55 games with Nashville.
Gaudreau made his NHL debut in the 2016-17 regular season, and played in eight playoff games, including games in the Final against the Penguins. He scored playoff goals, all in the Final, including the game-winners in both Games 3 and 4.
Before turning pro, Gaudreau won a Memorial Cup with the Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012, when then-Penguins prospect Anton Zlobin scored the championship-clinching goal in overtime.
Gaudreau, who 6 feet and 180 pounds, looks to be more forward depth for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season, but could be a midseason call up if needed due to his previous NHL experience. He's played a total of 84 regular-season NHL games in his career.
Lagace, 27, played 33 games with the Providence Bruins in the AHL last season, recording a 2.37 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. After spending the first three years of his career in the Stars' system, he signed with the Golden Knights in 2017 and made his NHL debut that season. He appeared in 16 games for Vegas in its inaugural season as the team's third goaltender, recording a 3.92 goals-against average and am .867 save percentage. He only played in one NHL game in the 2018-19 season, where he stopped 27 of 31 shots in a loss to Carolina
With Casey DeSmith expected to be Tristan Jarry's backup next season, Lagace figures to be the team's third goaltender and start in Wilkes-Barre with Emil Larmi and Alex D'Orio. The two goaltenders the Penguins drafted this week -- Joel Blomqvist and Calle Clang -- aren't yet making the move to North America.
On Friday the Penguins also added forward depth with the signing of Josh Currie, which you can read about here.