Pittsburgh Penguins
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Roster moves of former Penguin players
Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/7/12/24465890/roster-moves-of-former-penguin-players
Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images
Seeing what happened to some former Pens in the latest off-season free agency carousel
Welcome to another summer Saturday. The dust is starting to settle on the initial burst of free agency and teams are gradually gearing down to settle into their summers prior to the start of another hockey season in the fall.
What has happened with some former Penguin players? Let’s check in on some:
NHL.com has a list of this season’s free agents:
There hasn’t been too much surprising activity - both Connor Dewar and Phil Tomasino came back to the Pens. P.O. Joseph signed a one-year deal at league minimum ($775k) to join Jim Rutherford, Patrik Alvin and company with the Canucks where he could be back in a 6/7 type of role.
Of this list, Conor Timmins remains a restricted free agent with Buffalo after the trade from June’s draft sent him there.
Otherwise, not much movement. Matt Grzelcyk has found the same market almost two weeks into free agency as he did at the NHL trade deadline with nothing to write home about. Given his assist totals, it’s a bit surprising he hasn’t caught on anywhere yet but given the tape he’s had in the last 12-16 months with Pittsburgh and Boston, then again it’s not that surprising.
Looking deeper into Penguins from longer in the past..
Anaheim
—The Ducks reportedly were interested in signing John Tavares, before the former Toronto captain re-signed with the Leafs. So Anaheim switched gears and got Mikael Granlund signed to a three-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $7,000,000. The SJ/PIT Erik Karlsson trade didn’t work out for very many parties involved well, but Granlund sure was a winner to rack up a lot of points with the Sharks in a big role and play himself into a huge raise on this contract.
Carolina
—Didn’t qualify Ty Smith, it looks like he remains as an unrestricted free agent. Smith could be on the Derrick Pouliot path of being a career AHLer. The Hurricanes also watched veteran goalie Dustin Tokarski go to free agency, where he also currently remains looking for his next stop.
Colorado
—Said goodbye to short-time former Penguin (and short former Penguin) Matthew Phillips. Phillips went on to sign an AHL contract with San Diego.
Colorado also opted to not extend a qualifying offer to John Ludvig, who remains as a free agent.
Columbus
—Is this the end of the line for Jack Johnson? Columbus let him go as a free agent, Johnson, 38, appeared in 41 games for the Blue Jackets last season.
Dallas
—The Stars bid adieu to minor league goalie Magnus Hellberg. Hellberg has gone on to sign with Djurgarden of the Swedish league. The Stars also watched Cody Ceci go to free agency and cash in with a big contract with the Kings.
Edmonton
—The Oilers gave a one-year contract to Kasperi Kapanen for 2025-26 worth $1.3 million to keep that party going.
Florida
—The Panthers were the ones to sign Jesse Puljujarvi once the Pens cut him loose in the middle of last season. Puljujarvi played five regular season games (but none in the playoffs) and was with the AHL Charlotte Checkers in their deep playoff run this year. Puljujarvi decided to switch gears and is going overseas in 2025-26, signing with Geneve-Servette HC of Switzerland. So that’s how that story ends.
Los Angeles
—Cody Ceci signed a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, 2025, with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. Brian Dumoulin signed a three-year contract with the Kings featuring a cap hit of $4,000,000. Ken Holland, ladies and gentlemen!
Minnesota
—Marc-Andre Fleury has retired. Probably. Five teams called his agent to see if he wanted to stick to the retirement, but at this point the 40-year old looks ready to move into the next stages of his life beyond being an NHL goalie.
New Jersey
—Cody Glass wasn’t qualified by the Devils, but they decided to bring him back just the same with a two-year contract that retains the $2.5 million cap hit he played under last year. Not a bad little career revitalization for Glass last year between his stints in Pittsburgh and New Jersey.
The Devils also moved on from Daniel Sprong, who remains a free agent. Sprong, 28, will be looking for his ninth different team if he catches on (though he only scored one goal and added three assists in 21 games combined between Seattle and NJ last season).
New York Rangers
—Signed Pouliot to a two-year contract for league minimum with a nice downside guarantee. Pouliot, as mentioned, has become a great AHL level defender and has been valued by organizations to help out down the depth chart.
Ottawa
—The Sens brought on Lars Eller with a one-year, $1.25 million contract, with an extra $1 million available in performance bonuses. Not a bad deal for the 36-year old veteran after he quietly fizzled out back in Washington last season following the Pens trading him there.
Philadelphia
—The Penguin-related news was off the ice with the Flyers by picking up Rick Tocchet as their head coach and then hiring Todd Reirden to be an assistant.
San Jose
—The Sharks re-signed Colin White to a one-year deal. Jan Rutta’s contract ended and he remains as a free agent.
Seattle
—Signed Matt Murray to a one-year contract, $1.0 million contract to re-join Jason Botterill. Gotta like this as a sneaky way for Murray to set himself up, Philip Grubauer has been among the shakiest NHL goalies in the past few years and there’s got to be a good chance that Murray gets the opportunity to play NHL games next season for the Kraken at some point, even though he’s their No. 3 goalie in the organization.
St. Louis
—In perhaps one of the few team-friendly free agent signings, the Blues made a nice piece of business by signing Nick Bjugstad to a a two-year contract with the St. Louis Blues with an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $1,750,000. Bjugstad had a tough season last year with Utah (19 points in 66 games) but is only one-year removed from having a 22 goal, 45 point season with Arizona back in 2023-24.
Tampa
—Said goodbye to a few former Penguins, Anthony Angello became (and remains) a free agent. Conor Sheary approached the Lightning to dissolve the last year of his contract in 2025-26 after spending most of it in the AHL to seek a better opportunity. It hasn’t developed yet for him, he’s still a free agent, worked out well for Tampa to get to wipe a $2 million cap hit off their books.
Toronto
—Let Alex Nylander go as a free agent. Nylander only played five NHL games last season (no points) and any magic from his shocking 11 goal in 23 game stint with Columbus in 2023-24 looks like it has dissipated as quickly as it came on.
Utah
—The Mammoth went 1-2 with bringing one former Penguin in and watching two leave. Brandon Tanev, 33, signed a three-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $2,500,000, which isn’t the first time he was able to pull an impressive contract out of the UFA market. Bjugstad, as mentioned above, jumped to STL. And it looks like it might be the end of the road for 36-year old Robert Bortuzzo, who is now a free agent and was hinting at retirement at the end of the season.
Vegas
—Reilly Smith signed a one-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 25, 2025, with an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $2,000,000 for the 2025-26 season. Nice for him, since Vegas is the place that he really wants to be after unsatisfying stints in Pittsburgh and New York.
Washington
—Shortly after learning that Nik Ehlers didn’t want to play for them (ha ha), the Caps quickly shifted gears and announced that Anthony Beauvillier signed a two-year contract on July 3, 2025, that carries an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $2,750,000. That more than doubles Beauvillier’s salary from last season and gets him a second year as well and serves as another Penguin mid-career revitalization success story.
Winnipeg
—Tanner Pearson signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets on July 1, 2025, with an average annual value (AAV) and cap hit of $1,000,000.
Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/7/12/24465890/roster-moves-of-former-penguin-players