The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Matt Nieto as a free agent on July 1, 2023, and for the first time since Nov. 30, 2023, the left winger was in skates at practice on Monday in a full-contact jersey.

Nieto played only 22 games during his first season with the Penguins before undergoing laparoscopic surgery on his right knee.

During rehab, he suffered a setback, and before he could get back into the game, he opted to have surgery on his left knee to repair his MCL. 

The former second-round pick (47th overall) played seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks, including 45 games in 2022-23 under current Penguins assistant coach David Quinn. 

Additionally, Nieto has played for the Colorado Avalanche twice, spanning five seasons. He spent the remainder of the 2022-23 season in Denver before moving to Pittsburgh as a free agent. 

In 673 games, the 31-year-old has 86 goals and 203 points with a career minus-56 rating. Before leaving the Penguins due to injury, he scored a goal and five points in 22 games with a plus-4 rating, averaging 11:37 a night. 

Nieto is in the final year of his two-year deal, valued at $900,000.

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