Pittsburgh signed the first of its current RFAs, Hendrix Lapierre, to a two-year contract worth $1.3 million annually.
With things picking up on the offer sheet front and in the RFA market in the days following NHL free agency, the Pittsburgh Penguins have some bigger rumors swirling about them.
It may not be a very high-profile RFA move like some want, but they did make an RFA-related signing on Friday.
The Penguins came to terms on a two-year deal with RFA forward Hendrix Lapierre, who was extended a qualifying offer on Jun. 30. The contract is worth $1.3 million annually.
Lapierre, 24, had his RFA rights traded to the Penguins by the Washington Capitals on Jun. 25 for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
The former first round pick (22nd overall in 2020) never quite fully found his footing in parts of four seasons with Washington, amassing just 13 goals and 47 points in 158 NHL games with the Capitals. The 6-foot, 190-pound center has played in a bottom-six role to start his career, and he joins what currently looks like a crowded forward group.
Already having 14 forwards listed on their NHL roster, the Penguins will have some decisions to make. With rumors about the Penguins being involved in some trade discussions - most notably, pertaining to RFA superstar forward Jason Robertson - going around, it's possible that the number of forwards on their NHL roster will decrease by the time training camp rolls around.
As of Friday, Pittsburgh has yet to sign RFA forwards Egor Chinakhov and the newly acquired Nicholas Robertson, and they also figure to come to terms with RFA goaltender Arturs Silovs.
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