Penguins Claim Utah Defenseman Kolyachonok Off Waivers

The Pittsburgh Penguins have claimed defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from Utah.

He is 23 years old and checks in at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds.

His contract carries a salary-cap hit of $775,000 at the NHL level and run through the 2025-26 season.

Kolyachonok is reputed to be a work-in-progress, but has a solid all-around skills set that has the potential to be refined.

He had two goals and three assists in 23 games with Utah this season, and four goals and eight assists in 62 career NHL appearances.

Kolyachonok was a second-round draft choice by Florida in 2019, but never made it to the NHL with the Panthers and was traded to Arizona (which has relocated to Utah) in 2021.

Also, former Penguins winger Jesse Puljujarvi passed through waivers unclaimed and will have his contract terminated.