Penguins Notebook: Easy UFA Decisions and Unforeseen Negative

The restricted free agents awaiting qualifying offers and contracts from the Pittsburgh Penguins are a useful lot and, on the whole, present some opportunity for the coming few seasons. That group of young players with some talent and potential stands in direct contrast to the team’s group of replaceable unrestricted free agents.

While we spent considerable time analyzing the RFAs and their potential contracts, the unrestricted group will largely be cast out into the hockey world, dispersed like pollen in the wind.

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is the notable member of the class. Still, he will be quickly replaceable, perhaps with a more fitting, larger stay-at-home defenseman capable of balancing Erik Karlsson’s circus act–sort of like Ryan Graves was supposed to be.

Read More: PHN Debate: Matt Grzelcyk Future, Sign or Skip?

Matt Nieto: Gone. A star-crossed two-year tenure in which he underwent multiple knee surgeries should come to a close.

Joona Koppanen: A nice depth option who has played well for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and solidly for the NHL club in 11 games, but netted just one goal. He’s a natural winger but pressed into center duty due to the organization’s dearth in the middle. He could be re-signed, but with minor league expectations.

Boko Imama: It would seem to be an easy decision, but in this case, it would be to re-sign the heavy-handed forward who doesn’t mind keeping opponents in line or jolting the bench with a good scrap. However, roster space will be limited, and he may want to flex his muscles for a team with a greater opportunity for more NHL space.

The remainder of the list are minor leaguers.

Filip Kral: Already signed back home in Czechia.

Jimmy Huntington: Played just four games before suffering a season-ending injury. Career minor leaguer.

Mathias Laferriere: Acquired at mid-season in a minor league trade. Not a threat to impact the NHL roster.

Marc Johnstone: A season plagued by injuries and an AHL roster with too many veterans. He’s a speedy and worthwhile depth piece in the organization. If the situation requires it, he can play a few games in the NHL, but he is a light-scoring, checking forward even in the AHL. He may re-sign, but it would be a depth option for WBS.

Kasper Bjorkqvist: The Penguins’ 2016 second-round pick has played the last three seasons in the Finnish Elite League. He had just three points in 35 games this season and will finally be free of the Penguins’ rights, though it is unlikely to matter.

Nate Clurman, Colton Poolman: Minor league jouerneymen.

Mac Hollowell: A nice depth piece, and general manager Kyle Dubas indicated at mid-season that had Hollowell been healthy, he would have gotten his second NHL call-up. Hollowell is a solid AHL defenseman, and if he’s willing to re-sign, it would also be an easy decision to keep. However, he may want

The Penguins could let the entire lot go, and it would have almost no effect on the NHL roster. The bigger decisions will fall on Penguins AGM/WBS Penguins GM Jason Spezza to re-sign a few, starting with Hollwell.

Negative Effects?

Irony.

The Penguins own the New York Rangers’ 2025 or 2026 first-round pick. The 2025 first-rounder is protected because it’s 12th overall. If the Rangers keep it, the Penguins get the 2026 pick, which is unprotected.

And so it’s with a little bit of hockey serendipity that the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan, whom the Penguins fired two weeks ago.

Sullivan needed a fresh start just as much as the team. There’s little doubt Sullivan is a good coach, and if he’s able to reset with the Rangers, the roster has enough talent to be a Stanley Cup contender next season, and being a contender necessarily means their 2026 first-round pick would be a later first-round selection.

Irony. Finally moving on from Sullivan could significantly weaken the asset they acquired in the Marcus Pettersson/Drew O’Connor trade and cost them a second shot at phenom Gavin McKenna at the top of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas undoubtedly knows that the value of the Rangers’ pick took a hit when they hired Sullivan. Perhaps it will become a valuable trade chip instead, if not immediately, but by the middle of next season, if or when the Rangers show they will not be a mediocre team with a lottery pick.