Penguins Sign UFA Noel Acciari, Get Toughness in Bottom Six

CRANBERRY — Noel Acciari would have been a prime get at the NHL trade deadline, however, the Toronto Maple Leafs swooped in and acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Accairi from the St. Louis Blues for a significant haul. Saturday, Acciari finally became a Pittsburgh Penguins forward.

Acciari, 31, is not the biggest dog in the fight, but he is one of the scrappiest. He signed for three years with a $2 million AAV. Penguins president of hockey operations and interim GM Kyle Dubas was the Toronto GM who acquired Acciari in February, too.

Acciari can play both RW and center and very well might be the Penguins’ third-line center or fourth. The righty won about 54% of his faceoffs last season while amassing 14 goals, 23 points, 244 hits, and two shorthanded points in 77 games split between St. Louis and Toronto.

Acciari had only three assists in 11 playoff games but 78 hits as Toronto finally broke it’s 17-year Round One curse.

The move brings the Penguins down to about $12 million in salary cap space, but Accairi could fill several roles in the bottom six and adds more penalty-killing prowess.

Coach Mike Sullivan admitted Wednesday that the Reilly Smith acquisition was aided by Smith’s ability to kill penalties. Accairi can do the same and figures to be a primary figure on the PK unit which struggled last season.

PHN will update the story after Dubas speaks to the media at 4:30 p.m. However, the time could be fluid as the Penguins are also linked to San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. Sources told PHN the Penguins are one of two teams still chasing Karlsson.