With the Pittsburgh Penguins entering the offseason after a brief return to the postseason, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 53 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until future seasons — with the organization.
Starting with veteran Noel Acciari and going on through to prospect Bill Zonnon, every player will be profiled in alphabetical order.
This series is scheduled to be published every day until June 24, two days before the start of the NHL Draft. In the event of a transaction, that schedule will be altered as necessary.
(Note: All contract information courtesy of Puckpedia.)
Blake Lizotte
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Age: 28
Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 176 pounds
2025-26 NHL regular season statistics: 55 games, 19 points (Seven goals, 12 assists), 13:52 of average ice time per contest
2025-26 NHL postseason statistics: Six games, two points (zero goals, two assists), 14:12 of average ice time per contest
Contract: In the final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $1.85 million. Entering the first year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $2.25 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2029
Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, July 1, 2024
This season: Not much went off-script for Lizotte in 2025-26. He opened the season in his typical role as a fourth-line center, killed a bunch of penalties and dealt with some injuries due to his breakneck style of play.
The only curiosity was what kind of future did the veteran have with a franchise that allegedly was turning to youth.
Those questions were put to rest on Jan. 12 when he was signed to a three-year extension.
Making such a commitment to Lizotte was necessary as he has become a fairly valuable member of the club from his station on the fourth line.
With Noel Acciari and Connor Dewar on his flanks of the so-called “LAD Line,” Lizotte routinely took on faceoffs in the defensive zone, supplying Penguins coaches with a reliable, trustworthy option in such situations. In the 42 games that they played with all three players in the lineup, the Penguins were 25-8-9.
— EN Videos (@ENVideos19) January 9, 2026
While all three members of the lineup missed time due to injury, Lizotte was the most hobbled of the trio as he was absent for 26 games due to his maladies (and one extra contest to attend to a personal matter).
Perhaps Lizotte’s most celebrated game of the season came during a 6-3 home win against the rival Flyers on Jan. 15 when he scored the winning goal then flattened Flyers forward Denver Barkey with a check in the neutral zone then got the better of Flyers forward Matvei Michkov in an ensuing fight.
— EN Videos (@ENVideos19) January 16, 2026
After an undisclosed injury cost him the final 16 games of the regular season, Lizotte healed up by the time the postseason opened and manned his typical role on the fourth line and the penalty kill during a first-round loss to the Flyers.
The future: Lizotte’s place with the franchise for the near future is secure, given his contract and how he has performed for the Penguins since joining as a free agent signing nearly two years ago.
He understands the role he is in and attacks it with everything he has. With plenty of speed, tenacity and even a dollop of offensive skill, Lizotte offers a fairly complete game from a bottom-six station. And his work on the penalty kill is reliable, as evidenced by the 2:29 of short-handed ice he averaged per game last season.
The only concern with him might be his health. Given how he plays, he is prone to injury. And that issue doesn’t figure to improve as he approaches his 30s (Lizotte turns 29 on Dec. 13).
Regardless of those concerns, Lizotte has proven his value.
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