Inside Scoop: 2025 Free Agency Opens

The Penguins started executing on their intentions when free agency opened on Tuesday.

As planned, they avoided adding longer-term, big-money players in their 30s, with Kyle Dubas saying, "that just doesn’t fit at all with what we’re going to do. And even if we could transition, by the time (prospects) are coming through, we don’t want to have those types of deals at the backend."

Instead, they gave three players in their 20s new opportunities with two-year contracts: Justin Brazeau (average annual value of $1.5 million), Parker Wotherspoon (average annual value of $1 million) and Caleb Jones (average annual value of $900,000). Wotherspoon and Jones are left-handed defensemen, as the Penguins wanted to begin shoring up that side of their blue line.

The Penguins also re-signed two younger guys who showed a lot of promise last season in Connor Dewar and Phil Tomasino, and acquired more draft capital by trading Alex Nedeljkovic to San Jose in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick. The Penguins now have 28 selections over the next three NHL Drafts, which includes 16 selections in the first three rounds.

As President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas said during locker cleanout day, “it’s maintaining our commitment to the plan that we’ve set out, which is returning the team to contending as urgently as possible.”

Nedeljkovic came to the Penguins for a prove-it season in 2023-24, and the fierce competitor seized his opportunity down the stretch, earning a two-year contract. But while he’s a quality goaltender and popular teammate, the Penguins have good depth at the position.

Last year, 2020 second-round pick Joel Blomqvist saw time in the NHL after putting together an AHL All-Star season the year before. Sergei Murashov, a 2022 fourth-round pick, had an excellent first pro campaign in WBS and Wheeling. And in addition to those younger guys, Filip Larsson was quietly solid when healthy.

As for the players in front of them, Dubas said the defense group is a major area of concern throughout the organization, particularly on that left side. While younger players like Owen Pickering and Jack St. Ivany have good potential, the Penguins want to be careful with their development.

So, in addition to helping players like Ryan Graves, Ryan Shea and Vladislav Kolyachonok try and take steps, the Penguins added Parker Wotherspoon and Caleb Jones into the mix. Wotherspoon has played parts of three seasons in the NHL with the Bruins and New York Islanders since 2022, while Jones has played parts of seven seasons split between Los Angeles, Colorado, Chicago and Edmonton.

At the draft, the Penguins did acquire defenseman Connor Clifton (a right-handed shot) and the 39^th overall pick, which was in the second round, in exchange for defenseman Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau.

Pittsburgh’s management group had a good laugh in the war room reminiscing about how in his NHL debut with Boston in 2018, Clifton dropped the gloves with Jason Spezza, then a star veteran forward and now Penguins assistant GM.

“I think we just felt that Clifton, when at his best, brings an element that we have not maybe had on the back end in my time here,” Dubas said. “He’s a very highly competitive, physical guy that can be very difficult to play against, won’t back down from anybody and I think brings a lot of fire to the game each night.”

Meanwhile, Dubas has a long history with Timmins. He drafted him while running the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League; traded for him in Toronto; and again in Pittsburgh. Timmins had a good run here post-deadline, but Dubas is looking at as, “we gave up a fifth-round pick to get he and Connor Dewar in.”

Speaking of Dewar, the Penguins re-signed him to a one-year deal for $1.1 million. The 26-year-old brought a physical edge, puck pursuit and defensive conscience after coming over with Timmins from the Maple Leafs.

Pittsburgh also inked Phil Tomasino to a one-year deal for $1.75 million. After being acquired by the Penguins from Nashville – the team that drafted him in the first round in 2019 – on Nov. 25, the forward scored the fourth-most goals (11) and second-most game-winning goals (6) on the team, both new career highs.

While Dubas felt like the forward group was in a decent spot at the end of last season, he did sign Justin Brazeau to bring some size to the group, as he is listed at 6-6 and 227 pounds. There is familiarity from Dubas there as well, with Brazeau playing in the Maple Leafs organization from 2019-21. Brazeau began his professional career by playing in parts of five seasons in the AHL before spending the last two with Boston and Minnesota.

As for restricted free agents who did not receive qualifying offers, P.O Joseph, Emil Bemstrom, Taylor Gauthier, and Raivis Ansons are now unrestricted free agents. Pittsburgh did qualify Vasily Ponomarev to retain his rights. The 23-year-old forward, acquired from Carolina in the Jake Guentzel trade, signed a three-year contract to play in the KHL.

Dubas also said they were able to start talking with RFAs from other teams last night, “so we’ll get a sense for what the market is for them and what their expectations are, because those are generally younger players that fit more with where we’re at.”

Dubas’ phone has been ringing about some veteran players under contract, and went into detail about one in particular, as Bryan Rust’s name has been coming up a lot lately.

“He means a lot to the team. He's been a part of the team for the 15 years since he's been drafted,” Dubas said of the two-time Stanley Cup Champion with Pittsburgh. “So, unless it's something that blows us away in terms of what it returns, then it could very easily be looked at to have us return to contention. That'd be a tough one. But we've got lots of calls on him. He's a great player. Signed. But he's also a massive member of the Penguins. So, we'll continue to be open for business, but the price will be very high.”

Dubas was also asked about Evgeni Malkin, who is entering the last year of his deal. Dubas said that no decision has been made about Malkin’s future.

“I talked to Geno at the end of the year in the exit meeting and followed up with him. And I get it,” Dubas said. “He’s in the last year of his contract and it’s been a topic of discussion. But with the way we’re going to approach, we’re going to go in the year – as I told Geno in his exit meeting and then (his agent) J.P. Barry … we’ll meet at the Olympic break this (upcoming season – see where Geno’s and then meet after the season. He’s going to be 39 at the end of July and he’s still playing at a very high level for a player of that age. And he obviously means a great deal to the community.

“Our major focus is on treating him right, pushing him to continue to be his best this year and do right by him by continuing to communicate with him on where he stands and handle it the right way as an organization.”