From recently former Pittsburgh Penguins players such as Ryan Shea and Stuart Skinner to increasingly distant former mates like Teddy Blueger and Conor Sheary, a swath of once black and gold members got paydays on the NHL’s first day of free agency.
A few more should get contracts on Thursday and over the next few days. After all, Anthony Mantha remains unsigned.
In chronological order
*The first former Penguins player to sign a deal was 37-year-old defenseman Ian Cole, who signed with Chicago for one year, $4 million.
*Skinner signed a two-year deal worth $3.75 million per season with the Winnipeg Jets, setting off even more Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors.
*Noel Acciari, whose three-year Penguins contract expired last season, signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. His average annual value is $2.8 million, and the Flyers must have Oreos on the pregame meal table.
*Technically, Luke Schenn counts as a former Penguin despite never playing a game for the team after informing them he did not want to report after being acquired from the Nashville Predators near the 2025 NHL trade deadline. Schenn inked a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Canucks Wednesday.
And for the record, the Penguins put that second-round pick they acquired from Winnipeg for Schenn (39th overall) to good use. After selecting Liam Ruck in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Penguins used Winnipeg’s pick to select Liam Ruck’s twin, Markus Ruck, completing the twins’ desire to stay together.
*It’s been three years since Connor Clifton played for the Boston Bruins, but after one season with the Penguins, Clifton agreed to a two-year, $2.25 million AAV deal with Boston.
*Defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok signed a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Devils.
*Toronto GM John Chayka was busy. In addition to trading Nick Robertson to the Penguins, Toronto signed Teddy Blueger, who played with the Penguins from 2018-19 through the middle of the 2022-23 season, to a two-year, $5 million deal.
*One of the day’s jaw-droppers, the Washington Capitals lavished big defenseman Vincent Desharnais with a four-year deal with a $4.2 million AAV. Desharnais played only 10 games with the Penguins in 2024-25, after being acquired from Vancouver.
*2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup winner Conor Sheary, 34, signed a one-year deal with Buffalo worth $850,000.
*2019 Penguins first-round pick Sam Poulin signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens for $850,000. Poulin has played in only 15 NHL games, all with the Penguins, despite being traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Tristan Jarry trade in December, 2025.
*The Colorado Avalanche signed Vinnie Hinostroza to a two-year deal.
*Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Jagger Joshua signed in Minnesota for two years, $1.75 million two-way contract.
*Joining Skinner and Acciari as departed Penguins from the 2025-26 season, Ryan Shea signed a five-year, $20 million deal with Edmonton.
*Philip Tomasino signed a one-year deal with Ottawa.
*The Vancouver Canucks brought back an old friend, signing big, 33-year-old defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to a two-year deal with a $5 million AAV.
*The Philadelphia Flyers signed Zach Aston-Reese to a two-year deal. In year one, the deal is worth $850,000 and is a one-way deal. In year two, it becomes a two-way deal ($700k/$900k) with the Flyers.
*The Edmonton Oilers signed Kasperi Kapanen to a one-year deal worth $2.6 million.
Tags: former penguins Penguins Free Agents Pittsburgh Penguins
Categorized:NHL Free Agency Penguins Free Agent Targets