NHL Free Agency
Penguins Add Some Beef, Sign Brazeau to 2-Year Deal
After more than four years toiling in the ECHL and AHL, Justin Brazeau made his NHL debut in 2023-24 for the Boston Bruins.
He was traded to Minnesota last season, but the beefy right-wing will call Pittsburgh home next season. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Brazeau to a two-year deal worth $1.5 million per season.
Brazeau, 27, is 6-foot-6, 227 pounds. Last season, he scored 11 goals with 11 assists split over 76 games between Boston and the Minnesota Wild. However, his stats flatlined in Minnesota, where he had just one goal and one assist in 19 games.
With Boston, Brazeau had 20 points, including 10 goals, while averaging 12:33 of ice time. He averaged just over eight minutes in Minnesota.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas and Brazeau have a connection going back to the beginning of Brazeau’s professional career. He signed with the Toronto Marlies as an OHL free agent in April of 2019. He played 57 games for the Newfoundland Growlers and just one game for the Marlies in his first professional season, which was interrupted by the COVID pandemic.
Brazeau remained in the Toronto organization through 2021 before leaving to sign with the Providence Bruins. In 95 career NHL games, Brazeau has 29 points, including 16 goals.
Right handed D…move to come after?
He’s a right handed winger
Need to move out some older players to make room and pick up picks.
another big softy
I feel like I’m watching the Pirates in free agency, not the Penguins. A bunch of talk, no action. It’s one thing to say your not going to be aggressive, but this ??! What about all of the RFA chatter and trade talk?
Dubas said they were going to be quiet in free agency.It was the trade avenue that he was working.Which when it’s all said and done.He’ll come out and say that he had some deals on the table but nothing that he liked.He won’t make a move and run it back with basically the same team and hope they dont go on a winning streak at the end of the season and screw themsleves out of the McKenna sweepstakes.Hopefully Im wrong though!
You are correct.
Figure out why he flatlined in Minnesota and DON’T DO THAT. If he could play 3rd line winger and chip in 15 goals and bring a physical element, it’s a win.