Subscribe
Follow Us
The Pittsburgh Penguins missed the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are fully inside a period of transition as their aging core heads toward the end of their careers. Pittsburgh entered NHL Free Agency not looking to make a ton of splashes. But they wanted to add depth around the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.
Pittsburgh's offseason business likely isn't done at this point. They hold three of the most talked-about trade candidates on the market, after all. Penguins stars Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are all attracting interest. Given that Pittsburgh is the only team open to selling, fans are watching to see what Pittsburgh does next.
In saying this, the Penguins are likely done with the bulk of their NHL Free Agency moves. They could make some minor signings, but their main reinforcements have likely already been signed. With this in mind, it's time to grade the Penguins on their work in NHL Free Agency this summer.
Penguins take flier on Anthony Mantha
The Penguins made one external signing of significance this summer. Veteran winger Anthony Mantha signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh this summer. He is looking to re-establish his value in the NHL after an unfortunate stint with the Calgary Flames.
Mantha also signed a one-year contract with the Flames last summer. He got off to a solid start, scoring seven points in 13 games. However, he suffered a season-ending injury that put him on the shelf. Had he played a full 82 games, Mantha was on pace for 25 goals and 44 points. This is a solid pace, and it would have shown his 2023-24 campaign wasn't a fluke.
Pittsburgh is hoping he can catch fire with them in 2025-26. If Mantha can score some goals, this is a very good signing. If he doesn't, it's a low-cost, one-year contract. The Penguins do well to get some depth here.
GRADE: B
Pittsburgh focuses on depth in NHL Free Agency
Outside of Mantha, the Penguins focused on improving their depth. Most notably, they retained two of their key bottom-six forwards this summer. Philip Tomasino and Connor Dewar signed one-year contracts in NHL Free Agency.
Tomasino joined Pittsburgh in 2024-25 through trade with the Nashville Predators. The 23-year-old found some level of success in his new city. He scored 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games following this trade. He brings positional versatility, and he has value as a right-shot center.
Dewar also joined the Penguins midseason, being traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL Trade Deadline. He found his scoring touch following this deal, as well. He scored all four of his goals this season as a member of the Penguins. He had a total of seven points in 17 games with Pittsburgh in 2024-25.
Both players found success despite the hassle of changing teams midseason. They are also both young enough that they can continue developing as players. They aren't the flashiest signings by any means. However, these are still good bets for the Penguins to make in NHL Free Agency.
GRADE: B-
Overall grades and final thoughts
The Penguins receive a decent grade for their work in 2025 NHL Free Agency. Pittsburgh didn't make any bad moves when exploring the open market. However, they didn't add any players that truly move the needle for them. This isn't exactly a bad thing for a team in Pittsburgh's position. In saying this, it does impact their grade for free agency.
Pittsburgh Penguins free agency grade: B-
