Oct 5, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith (1) makes a save against Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens (24) as Pens forward Filip Hallander (left) commits a holding penalty during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)It appears an old friend is coming back to North America next season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On Tuesday, the Penguins agreed to terms on a two-year contract with Swedish forward Filip Hallander, a 24-year-old center who was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in the 2nd round (58th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. The deal - which has an average annual value of $775,000 - will run through the end of the 2026-27 season.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound center spent two seasons in North American split between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - the Penguins' AHL affiliate - and Pittsburgh from 2021-23. He only played in three NHL games during that time, but in WBS, he registered 25 goals and 61 points in 104 AHL games.
He spent the last two seasons playing in Sweden for Timra IK, and he set career-highs in both goals and points during his 2024-25 campaign, tallying 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games.
Hallander has elevated his offensive game over the past few years in Sweden, but he has always been known for his two-way game. A responsible and effective player in all three zones, he could figure into the Penguins' bottom-six next season, especially with the organization prioritizing the development of young talent.
With just a few 2025-26 NHL roster spots open at the forward position as of now, Hallander figures to compete for a spot in training camp along with young prospects such as Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, Vasily Ponomarev, Avery Hayes, and Tristan Broz.
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