Late Summer Targets for the Penguins
Who could the Pittsburgh Penguins add in the next wave of free agency?
The Pittsburgh Penguins' offseason has halted with their emergence as one of the teams deeply involved in the Erik Karlsson sweepstakes.
However, if they can't land the three-time Norris Trophy winner, the Penguins may still look to improve the current roster.
Every year, a handful of free agents wait late into the summer to sign their next contract hoping for someone to match their desired salary, but more often than not, they end up signing for less as their leverage decreases with every team that fills out their roster.
Last season, the Penguins re-signed forward Danton Heinen to a one-year, $1 million contract after Heinen failed to find a team willing to match his salary demands on the open market. Here are three remaining free agents the Penguins should still have on their radar.
Zach Parise
The Penguins will likely have the oldest team in the NHL for the second straight season, but age shouldn't deter them from bringing in Parise if he becomes available. While he is a free agent, Parise is debating retirement after 18 seasons in the NHL.
The soon-to-be 39-year-old scored 21 goals last season for the New York Islanders and would bring needed net front offense to this Penguins team. Parise proved to still have his legs last season and can still create offense off the rush. Any return to play would likely be for the Islanders, who are leaving a spot open for him, but if he desires a change of scenery, the Penguins could do much worse than this veteran goal scorer.
Max Comtois
Comtois was let go by the Anaheim Ducks, who decided against extending him a qualifying offer last month. The 24-year-old winger would bring more size (6'2", 215 pounds) and physicality to the Penguins' bottom six.
Drafted in the second round of the 2017 Draft, Comtois was one of several high-end prospects in the Ducks organization and showed some of that promise when he scored 33 points (16G-17A) during the 2020-21 season.
Unfortunately, a broken hand in November of 2021 changed his trajectory with the organization, and he hasn't found the same scoring touch since returning later in the 2021-22 season. Signing Comtois, especially late in the summer, could be a low-risk, high-reward decision for the Penguins.
Tomas Tatar
One of the more sought-after names remaining on the free agent market, Tatar scored 20 goals last season on the regular season juggernaut New Jersey Devils. While the six-time 20-goal scorer is likely looking for a significant contract (around $4 or $5 million AAV), the Penguins could create space with a potential Mikael Granlund buyout and add another scoring threat to their middle six in Tatar.
The 12-year NHL veteran is looking for his first Stanley Cup, and while the Penguins may not currently present the best opportunity on the open market, adding someone of Tatar's caliber could get them one step closer.
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