Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas insists he is ‘not stripping down” the team for a rebuild, but he is making moves to fashion a younger roster and set the team up for the future.
On Monday, Dubas traded forward Reilly Smith to the Rangers for a second round draft choice in 2027 and a fifth rounder in 2025.
Forward Emil Bemstrom and defenseman Ryan Shea both re-signed with the Pens.
Dubas also signed former Islanders top draft pick Anthony Beauvillier to a one-year contract. He scored five goals last year playing for Vancouver, Chicago, and Nashville. Also inking deals with the Penguins were former LA Kings forward Blake Lizotte, former Avalanche defenseman Nathan Clurman, ex-Coyotes forward Bokondji Imama, former Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, former Maple Leafs defenseman Mac Hollowell, and ex-Hershey Bears forward Jimmy Huntington
Former Penguins forward Vinnie Hinostroza signed with Nashville, and former Penguins minor league defenseman Jack Rathbone signed with Buffalo.
Dubas says he is putting together a team that will enable the Pens to be a contender now and still look to the future.
Dubas says he doesn’t want to be a team that just squeaks into the playoffs, especially when he has players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson still playing good hockey.
The NHL will release the 2024-25 schedules today, but yesterday they teased the release by announcing the home openers for all 32 teams. The Penguins will open the home slate at PPG Paints Arena against Reilly Smith and the New York Rangers on October 9th. They will also be the opponent for two other teams’ home openers: October 10th in Detroit against the Red Wings, and October 12th against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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