Two players who ended up being important depth pieces for the Penguins in the latter half of last season have found new homes.
Forward Freddy Gaudreau on Wednesday signed a two-year deal with the Wild that carries a $1.2 million cap hit, and goaltender Max Lagace signed a one-year deal with the Lightning.
Gaudreau was a depth signing by the Penguins last offseason, and started the year in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He earned his way back into the NHL and scored two goals and eight assists in 19 games to finish the season, primarily in a third-line role with Jared McCann and Jeff Carter. After making the league-minimum $700,000 on his last deal, his performance in Pittsburgh earned him a $500,000 pay raise.
Lagace spent most of the year shuffling between Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh's taxi squad. With Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith both injured for the Penguins' last game of the season, Lagace made the start against the Sabres -- his first NHL start since February 2019 -- and posted a 29-save shutout to help the Penguins clinch the regular-season division title. It was the first shutout of his career, and the first time in Penguins franchise history that a goaltender recorded a shutout in his first start with the team.
The Penguins replaced Lagace on Wednesday with the signing of Flilip Lindberg out of UMass. Lindberg figures to share the net with Alex D'Orio in Wilkes-Barre next season.