Penguins' defenseman Matt Grzelcyk has been Pittsburgh second-most productive blueliner and has impressed offensively this season

On Monday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed former first-round pick Jesse Puljujarvi on waivers, as reported by HNIC's Elliotte Friedman.

Puljujarvi, 26, was drafted fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Draft. He spent parts of six seasons with the Oilers before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2022-23 season, and he had bilateral hip surgery the following offseason.

He was signed to a PTO by Pittsburgh during the 2023-24 season, and after making the team, he was inked to a two-year, $1.6 million contract. He put up three goals and four points in 22 games in 2023-24.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, his impressive training camp earned him one of the final spots on the roster. Despite making the team, however, he struggled to secure a regular spot in the Penguins' lineup, appearing in just 21 of Pittsburgh's 38 games this season and registering three goals and eight points. His last appearance in a game came on Dec. 7.

Over the course of his career so far, Puljujarvi has 57 goals and 126 points in 377 NHL games.

With Puljujarvi waived, the Penguins now have 22 active players on their roster: 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders. Defenseman Marcus Pettersson - out since Dec. 14 with a lower-body injury - practiced in a full capacity at the Penguins' morning skate on Saturday.

Teams have until 2:00 p.m. ET Tuesday to claim Puljujarvi before he is optioned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.

Penguins Place Forward Jesse Puljujarvi On Waivers