How many of the Pittsburgh Penguins pending free agents will Kyle Dubas sign in the coming weeks?

Kyle Dubas is currently getting a crash course on the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Less than a month into his tenure as President of Hockey Ops, Dubas is already coming up on a few deadlines.

In the coming weeks, Dubas will navigate his first NHL Draft, Qualifying Offer period, and free agency as the steward for the Penguins roster and organization. To this point in the offseason, Alex Nylander is the only player to receive a new contract from the Penguins, and that was before Dubas signed on.

With time running out before the opening of free agency, the Penguins still have over a dozen pending free agents remaining, both restricted (RFA) and unrestricted (UFA).

The most prominent restricted free agents are forwards Ryan Poehling, Valtteri Puustinen, Drew O'Connor, and defensemen Ty Smith. Considering each of their qualifying offers would come in under $1 million, it's likely that the Penguins extend them qualifying offers before the June 30th deadline.

There is uncertainty with the Penguins pending UFA's. With new management in place and an unsuccessful season in 2022-23, many of these players may be allowed to walk in the coming weeks. Players like Brian Dumoulin, Nick Bonino, Danton Heinen, and Josh Archibald could be among the group of free agents that hit the market on July 1st.

The most notable names among Penguins free agents are Jason Zucker and Tristan Jarry. Zucker enters the offseason off a terrific season, scoring 27 goals while playing second-line minutes. While he has voiced his desire to remain in Pittsburgh, he may have to take a significant pay cut to fit into the Penguins' plans. Don't be surprised if Zucker walks to free agency to get options before deciding where he signs.

Transversely, Jarry heads to free agency surrounded by uncertainty. Questions about his health and ability to win in the big moments remain unanswered, and the presence of several top-tier starting netminders on the trade market cloud an already underwhelming market for the 28-year-old goaltender.

Dubas has yet to make his first roster decision with the Penguins, but with the heart of the NHL offseason coming fast, look for Dubas and the Penguins to start filling the holes on this Penguins roster sooner rather than later.

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