How Would Penguins Replace Free Agents Who Depart?
Seven players on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster when their season ended last month are eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer.
Which of them the team will try to retain is hard to say, since those decisions will be made by a general manager who has yet to be hired.
Still, it’s not too early to begin considering possible replacements for guys who might be moving on, regardless of whose choice it would be.
What follows is, by almost any measure, a fanciful exercise, because it’s hard to imagine that all of the Penguins’ pending UFAs would depart, and chances are that the next GM will try to fill at least a few of whatever vacancies are created via trades or from inside the organization.
Still, here are some ideas for straight one-for-one “trades” of free agents who were with the Penguins in 2022-23 for those who played elsewhere, with all concerned having fairly similar salary-cap hits during the past season:
Josh Archibald
Role: Fourth-line right winger, penalty-killer
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $900,000
Replacement: Brett Ritchie, Calgary
Rationale: Archibald has some obvious offensive limitations, but he’s feisty and fearless, and the Pittsburgh Penguins could use more of both qualities.
Ritchie, who will turn 30 July 1, isn’t much of a point-producer, either, but he’s big (6 foot 4, 220 pounds) and, every now and then, actually plays like it.
While it’s probably not realistic to expect him to suddenly become a physical force, shift-in and shift-out, pretty much any infusion of size and muscle would be a good thing for the Penguins.
Nick Bonino
Role: Fourth-line center, penalty-killer
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $1.025 million
Replacement: Devin Shore, Edmonton
Rationale: Bonino was a trade-deadline addition and. unless the Penguins manage to find a taker for Jeff Carter, they might not move to fill the slot Bonino was in until the 2024 deadline approaches, assuming they are buyers then.
The Penguins always value versatility, and Shore can play wing or center. He doesn’t make it onto the scoresheet very often, but is a solid faceoff man and good penalty-killer, which is what the Penguins were looking for when they brought Bonino back.
Brian Dumoulin
Role: Left-side defenseman, No. 1 pairing
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $4.1 million
Replacement: Ryan Graves, New Jersey.
Rationale: Dumoulin, at his best, was an ideal partner for Kris Letang, furnishing the defensive yin to Letang’s offensive yang, allowing Letang to take advantage of his skills in the attacking zone.
Graves, currently partnering with Penguins alum John Marino on the Devils’ No. 2 pairing, plays a style that would dovetail nicely with Letang’s and, at 6 foot 5, 220 pounds, would bring some heft to a blue line that would benefit from some more muscle.
Of course, for all of those reasons, if the Penguins would opt to pursue him this summer, they should expect to have plenty of company.
Danton Heinen
Role: Bottom-six winger
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $1 million
Replacement: Zach Aston-Reese, Toronto
Rationale: Heinen and Aston-Reese, who earned a contract from the Maple Leafs after going to training camp on a tryout, are very different players. Heinen’s forte is offense, while Aston-Reese’s game is built on a foundation of sound defense.
Aston-Reese actually would be a better fit than Heinen for that particular niche. He could be deployed on the third line or, if Drew O’Connor is ready to move up to that unit on a permanent basis, drop down to the fourth.
Regardless of where he is deployed, Aston-Reese would give the Pittsburgh Penguins solid defensive work and upgrade their penalty-kill, which was a major disappointment in 2022-23. Oh, and he actually scored more goals than Heinen (10-8) this season.
Tristan Jarry
Role: No. 1 goaltender
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $3.5 million
Replacement: Antti Raanta, Carolina
Rationale: Raanta is having a stellar season — he was 19-3-3, with a 2.23 goals-against average and .910 save percentage during the regular season — and, while he undoubtedly benefits from the Hurricanes’ commitment to good team defense, Raanta has done good work with a number of teams throughout his career.
He will be 34 in a week, so envisioning him as the Penguins’ goalie of the future would be a bit of a stretch, but Raanta could be a nice short-term solution if they believe a prospect such as Joel Blomqvist will be NHL-ready in a couple of seasons. Or that Raanta could buy them the time needed to acquire a capable, but younger, goalie from another organization.
Dmitry Kulikov
Role: Left-side defenseman, No. 3 pairing
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $1.125 million
Replacement: Nick Holden, Ottawa
Rationale: Kulikov was a nice addition for defensive depth at the deadline, although carrying such a veteran as insurance for the entire season might be a luxury the Pittsburgh Penguins’ salary-cap situation will not permit.
Holden doesn’t play as big as he is (6 foot 4, 214 pounds), but skates and moves the puck pretty well, which are obvious plusses in Mike Sullivan’s preferred style of play. However, he’ll be 36 Oct. 20, so any team signing him will want to monitor his workload closely.
Jason Zucker
Role: Second-line left winger
2022-23 Salary-cap hit: $5.5 million
Replacement: Tyler Bertuzzi, Boston
Rationale: Bertuzzi not only can score at the level needed to be effective on the second line — he had five goals and five assists in seven playoff games with the Bruins — but competes with the grit and edge Zucker provides (and that the Penguins desperately need).
He also has the size (6 foot 1, 200 pounds) and touch needed to be an effective net-front presence on the power play, something else the Penguins could use.
Boston presumably would like to re-sign Bertuzzi, whose expiring deal carries a $4.75 million cap hit, but is facing severe cap issues, and might not be able to fit him in, since Bertuzzi figures to attract a lot of interest — and money — on the open market.
Categorized:Penguins
Thanks for your hard work and possible replacements for the UFA’s. It is fun to imagine, dream and hope that these moves are possible and could become reality, but with the dumpster fire hot mess this organization has spiraled into there seems to be little a new GM can do to put together a playoff bound team. The “core” are aged veterans who are prone to injuries, the # 1 goalie if brought back is fragile and cannot stay healthy and the #2 goalie is an AHL caliber talent at best who is too inconsistent. After watching the playoff teams… Read more »
All UFAs must go and don’t bring back any past Penguins. We need as many new players as possible to change the culture of sloppy/don’t care play. Archibald=Cagguila ($800K); Bonino=Noel Acciari ($1.75); Dumo=Graves($5M) and/or Gavrikov ($5) and/or Girard ($5M). Trade Petterson and sign or trade for two new LD. Heinen=My new third line is Ross Colton ($3M), Haula ($3.25), Barbashev ($3.5); Jarry and DeSmith=Swayman ($3M) and Adin Hill ($2.25M; Kulikov=POJ or Ty Smith. One of POJ/Smith is traded. Zucker=Bunting ($5). DeSmith, Dragon, Rutta, Carter, and Granlund all must go through trades, buyout, or LTIR.
Keep Zucker. Please. He plays with heart, which the Penguins need much more of.
You would probably take some negatives from that outlook. I agree-let all the FAs walk, I am not sure what is served by keeping these guys here since they are part of the overall formula that hasnt worked. You need new players in the locker room-its very stale and it lacks the necessary heart. You also need a new GM, not one that has done time in another organiztion, you need to get rid of that old NHL mentality. A fresh, new way of thinking because thats what its gonna take to get rid of the dead weight. The game… Read more »
Yeah you really understand this cap thing. You are about 7 million over the cap limit with your acquisitions listed above. Nice to dream but I think we need to keep some reality into our thoughts no?
Are you trying to give some people around here an aneurysm? You recommended replacement players that are, for the most part, older 🤣 dont you know by now that they should give a shot to anyone in wb. It doesn’t matter how good they are, just that they are younger. Geez Dave, you are a slow learner.
WB talent is bare
Thanks, Rutherford.
You do realize he built 2 cup winners here, right? This is what happens to every team that goes all in to win the cup. 🤦♂️
Alex DeBrincat to replace Zucker.
No doubt. I love Zuck’s play and feel like he brought some physicality and fight to this 2022 team, and I hope they can retain him. I just believe that another team will over pay him. Debrincat would be an excellent add that they may not be able to afford also.
I would make an attempt to sign Zucker, Dumo & Zulikov. Dumo only at a reasonable salary and he played down on 2nd 3rd pair. I know he will sign elsewhere but I do think he brings value just not a 1st liner anymore. Zucker showed this year what we were waiting for since GMJR traded for him. Seems like a great locker room guy, a more vocal leader. I would like to see grit and speed on the 4th line not too worried about points but wear out the opponent for 45 seconds. Need more scoring from 3rd line… Read more »
They need to go hard at Barbachev. Acciari and ZAR would be some nice pieces for the bottom 6.
Agree 100%. They blew it with Acciarri and Barbachev at the trade deadline.
Archibald is the only one I’d keep. They have to get younger and inject some new blood, and that will come at the expense of vets like Zucker. l’d try to add Graves and Bertuzzi if possible but Bertuzzi may get as high as $8M/yr and that’s too rich for the Pens. Raanta would be a good 1A, if they get a 1B to pair him with (and that certainly doesn’t mean DeSmith).
I am open for most of anything but 2 rules do not sign guys that are old number 2 do not sign expenguin players back there part of the formula that didn’t work and the never do any better coming back in most cases there worse and at best the same as they left.
add youth
add speed
add size
add a new back up goalie
jarry I have no idea that is the most complexing problem what to do?
Dave, Brett Ritchie was traded for his brother this past year. He finished the season with the Arizona Coyotes.