Mark Pysyk and Austin Wagner are still possible options for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Heading into their 2023 training camp, the Pittsburgh Penguins were set to have roster battles and competitions for just about every spot in the lineup.

To add to those battles, the Penguins brought in five players on professional tryout contracts.

Forwards Colin White, Austin Wagner, and Peter Abbandonato and defenseman Libor Hajek and Mark Pysyk arrived in Pittsburgh looking for a shot at the NHL.

With camp long in the rearview and the regular season well underway, the Penguins have signed two of those names to contracts.

White signed a one-year deal and is currently with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Hajek penned a one-year deal that will keep him at the AHL level.

Abbandonato didn’t have much chance and was cut early in camp.

That leaves two names still lingering around without a deal, but not yet completely cut loose.

According to capfriendly, the Penguins still have Pysyk and Wagner under PTO deals.

In Pysyk’s case, he seemed put in a perfect position to claim a role in the Penguins defensive corps, but an injury in the first preseason game pushed him out of the active training camp roster.

While it was never made clear what the injury was, it isn’t ideal considering that Pysyk missed the entire 2022-23 season with an Achilles tendon injury.

If Pysyk heals and is able to play, it’s feasible that he could still sign a deal and suit up for the Penguins, but it seems unlikely.

The Penguins might know something that no one else does since they dealt away right-shot defenseman Mark Friedman for a lefty in Jack Rathbone.

Former Penguins' forward Danton Heinen is also still yet to sign a full deal after joining the Boston Bruins on a PTO.

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