Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas not only brought in players at the NHL level but restocked his AHL lineup on the first day of free agency.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were a busy team on the first day of free agency, not only signing Matt Grzelcyk, Anthony Beauvillier, and Blake Lizotte, but General Manager Kyle Dubas also brought in a quartet of players on two-way contracts.
In addition to restocking the NHL lineup, the Wilkes-Barrie Penguins added Bokondji Imama, Mac Hollowell, Nathan Clurman, and Jimmy Huntington.
Let's dive into their contract details and these skaters' most recent performances in the AHL.
Bokondji Imama
One year, two-way deal $775,000
Bokondji Imama is a 27-year-old left winger who clocks in at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds. Initially drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015 in the sixth round (180th overall), he's played just 15 NHL games between the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators.
A career minor leaguer, he has dressed in 310 games, scoring 72 points thanks to 29 goals and 43 assists. Imama spent last season with the Belleville Senators, collecting 115 penalty minutes in 53 games. Wilkes-Barrie will be his fourth AHL club.
Mac Hollowell
One year, two-way deal $775,000
Mac Hollowell is a 25-year-old, 5-foot-9, 187-pound defenseman who dressed with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2023-24. Initially drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round (118th overall) at the 2018 Entry Draft, he's played only six NHL games.
The native of Niagara Falls, ON, skated with the Toronto Marlies from 2019 to 2023 and has 105 points in 188 games in the AHL. Last season was his best year as a professional, with 44 points (41 assists) in 64 games.
Nathan Clurman
One year, two-way deal $775,000
Nathan Clurman, who weighs 208 pounds and stands at 6-feet-2, is another defenseman set to join Wilkes-Barrie in the fall. At 26, he has not played in an NHL game; instead, he has been plying his trade in the AHL, skating in 110 games since 2020.
The Penguins will be Clurman's first team outside the Midwest. The Boulder, CO native has only played for the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). Despite a productive season in Utah in 2021-22 with 24 points, his best season with the Eagles came in 2022-23 when he netted 15 of his 20 career points in 57 games.
Jimmy Huntington
One year, two-way deal $775,000
Jimmy Huntington is a Calder Cup champion who just won the AHL championship with the Hershey Bears. The undrafted center is 25 and has built up a solid resume in the minors, accumulating 113 points in 240 games with three different clubs since debuting in 2019.
With the Bears in 2023-24, Huntington had his best season, dressing in 67 games and scoring 16 goals to finish with 33 points. During the title run, he chipped in 14 points in 20 games. The native of Laval, QC, has yet to skate a game in the NHL.
Wilkes-Barre finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 39-24-8 record to finish third in the Atlantic Division and didn't win a single playoff game in the first round of Calder Cup playoffs.