The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Matt Nieto as a free agent on July 1, 2023, and for the first time since Nov. 30, 2023, the left winger was in skates at practice on Monday in a full-contact jersey. Nieto played only 22 games during his first season with the Penguins before undergoing laparoscopic surgery [https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/penguins-forward-matt-nieto-undergoes-successful-knee-surgery] on his right knee. During rehab, he suffered a setback, and before he could get back into the game, he opted to have surgery on his left knee to repair his MCL. The former second-round pick (47th overall) played seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks, including 45 games in 2022-23 under current Penguins assistant coach David Quinn [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/is-david-quinn-the-answer-to-penguins-power-play-woes]. Additionally, Nieto has played for the Colorado Avalanche twice, spanning five seasons. He spent the remainder of the 2022-23 season in Denver before moving to Pittsburgh as a free agent. In 673 games, the 31-year-old has 86 goals and 203 points with a career minus-56 rating. Before leaving the Penguins due to injury, he scored a goal and five points in 22 games with a plus-4 rating, averaging 11:37 a night. Nieto is in the final year of his two-year deal [https://capwages.com/players/matt-nieto], valued at $900,000. Who Will Finish With More Points: Steven Stamkos Or Jake Guentzel Bookmark THN's Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/] site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and more.
