The Penguins aren't expected to be big players in free agency when the signing period opens at noon on Monday.
For one, they don't exactly have much cap space, barring future trades. This is who is currently signed and has a good chance to be on the NHL roster, and this group of 13 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders would give them roughly $5.6 million in cap space:
Forwards (13): Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Reilly Smith, Rickard Rakell, Michael Bunting, Kevin Hayes, Lars Eller, Noel Acciari, Drew O'Connor, Matt Nieto, Jesse Puljujarvi, Valtteri Puustinen
Defensemen (6): Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Ryan Graves, Marcus Pettersson, John Ludvig, Jack St. Ivany
Goaltenders (2): Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic
Kyle Dubas disclosed some details about the Penguins' strategy for the coming weeks when he spoke at the draft in Las Vegas on Friday:
1. He expects the Penguins to be active in all areas other than in goal when it comes to signings.
2. He doesn't expect the Penguins to make any cap-dump type trades -- the kind where a team attaches an asset to a tough contract in order to entice the other team to take the contract on.
3. No "long-term free agency stuff." The Penguins want to keep the flexibility that comes with shorter-term deals.
Obviously, looking at the above list of signed players, there aren't exactly many holes to fill. That's one defenseman away from the full roster teams try to carry, at least when healthy. The team will also presumably look to make a number of depth signings to replenish the minor-league rosters and make them more competitive. The Penguins will ideally keep some of that cap space available in the event that recalls are needed but the injured/ill player isn't going to be out long enough to go on long-term injured reserve and bring salary-cap relief.
With all of that in mind, here's a look at some potential free agent targets who may make sense -- guys who are younger, affordable, and shouldn't command long-term deals in free agency:
• Erik Brannstrom: 24-year-old left-handed defenseman who went unqualified by Ottawa on Sunday when his last contract that had a $2 million cap hit expired. Scored three goals and 17 assists in 76 games last season. If the Penguins don't end up bringing back P.O Joseph, Brannstrom could be a good replacement. He can play the right side too, which would add some flexibility.
• Jake Bean: 26-year-old left-handed defenseman who can also play both sides. Went unqualified by Columbus on his last contract that carried a $2,333,333 cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent. Scored four goals and nine assists in 72 games last season.
• Oliver Kylington: 27-year-old left-handed defenseman who can play both sides of a pairing. Has only played for Calgary throughout his career and is set to be an unrestricted free agent as his contract that carried a $2.5 million cap hit is expiring. Scored three goals and five assists in 33 games after not playing his first game of the season until late January due to a mental health pause that started at the end of the 2021-22 season.
• Sam Steel: 26-year-old left-handed center/wing who will be an unrestricted free agent after not getting qualified by the Stars after his contract that carried an $850,000 cap hit expired. Played in 77 games last season and scored nine goals and 15 assists. Could be a younger affordable bottom-six option who scored more than a number of the Penguins' own bottom-six pieces from last season. And, look: With his last name, it'd be a crime if he doesn't end up in Pittsburgh eventually.
• Adam Boqvist: 23-year-old right-handed defenseman who will be an unrestricted free agent after the Blue Jackets bought him out of the last year of his contract that carried a $2.6 million cap hit. He was limited to 35 games last season with a nagging upper-body injury and scored one goal and nine assists, a career-low.
• Zemgus Girgensons: Hear me out: He's not young, he's 30. But he could probably be had for cheap. He lives in Cranberry, Pa. in the summers and his wife is from Pittsburgh. He made $2.5 million last season with the Sabres and scored eight goals and six assists in 63 games. Can play both center and left wing, physical and can play on the penalty-kill.
• Felix Robert: Not as an option for the NHL roster, but one of those signings to bolster the AHL club. Tenacious "waterbug" of a forward who can play center and wing. The Penguins signed him out of the QMJHL in 2020. He was Sam Poulin's linemate in junior. Robert had a strong 2021-22 season and had 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 63 games on an AHL deal. The Penguins were one of several teams that summer to make an NHL offer in the summer and he signed with the Lightning. Spent the last two seasons in the AHL with Syracuse -- 18 goals and 16 assists in 55 games in 2022-23; 13 goals and 21 assists in 53 games this past season. He turns 25 this summer and will become an unrestricted free agent after going unqualified by Tampa on Sunday. Even if just AHL depth, he'd be a good pickup. The Poulin connection makes him especially appealing.
