Jan 27, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Philip Tomasino (53) warms up before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. (David Gonzales-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/cef2277f-ea34-493f-bfc6-476a29546ccf.jpeg] Jan 27, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Philip Tomasino (53) warms up before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. (David Gonzales-Imagn Images) It should be quite the summer for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the free agent market. The Penguins have already shipped most of their pending-unrestricted free agents (UFAs) elsewhere for assets, as forward Lars Eller was traded in November [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/kyle-dubas-got-to-work-with-the-eller-trade-what-and-who-is-next] and defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O'Connor were dealt at the end of January [https://thehockeynews.com/news/another-one-pittsburgh-penguins-trade-marcus-pettersson-to-vancouver-canucks-in-five-player-deal]. There are also plenty of whispers about President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas dabbling in the restricted free agent market [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/well-begin-to-shift-to-the-execution-with-assets-collected-dubas-eyes-the-next-phase-for-penguins-hockey] to bring in some young talent from elsewhere. But with free agency will also come decisions on which pending-restricted free agents (RFAs) of their own that they'll want to keep in the organization. So who should they keep around, and who should they move on from, in restricted free agency? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PHILIP TOMASINO Feb 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Philip Tomasino (53) skates up ice with the puck against the .Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/c07e5a57-1f0a-4af0-89d8-c378d12977ba.jpeg] Feb 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Philip Tomasino (53) skates up ice with the puck against the .Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Keep: Yes Tomasino is probably the most obvious choice for the Penguins to keep around, as he has found some momentum with the Penguins this season. Since being traded to Pittsburgh by the Nashville Predators for a 2027 fourth-round pick on Nov. 25 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/penguins-acquire-former-first-round-pick-from-nashville], Tomasino has registered 10 goals and 19 points in 41 games, which is good enough for a 20-goal pace. He has found some chemistry with Evgeni Malkin, and - at only 23 years old - he is a player who can complement some of the younger prospects who will be part of the Penguins' roster in 2025-26. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNOR DEWAR Mar 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Connor Dewar (19) reacts fter scoring his second goal of the game against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/06cc0087-f234-4978-9efc-bee8cdc23b77.jpeg] Mar 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Connor Dewar (19) reacts fter scoring his second goal of the game against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Keep: No Although Dewar has scored his only three goals of the season in his five games as a Penguin, it still doesn't change the fact that he is, at his very best, a lower-end third-line winger on a good team. It's not that Dewar isn't good enough to be kept around. It's more so that keeping a guy like him around will surely block some deserving prospects from seeing NHL ice next season. And at the stage the Penguins are in [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/well-begin-to-shift-to-the-execution-with-assets-collected-dubas-eyes-the-next-phase-for-penguins-hockey], prospect development should be the priority. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONOR TIMMINS Mar 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Conor Timmins (20) moves the puck in the defensive zone against the New York Islanders during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/312fb336-1ffe-44d4-a11e-3ea5465dcc10.jpeg] Mar 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Conor Timmins (20) moves the puck in the defensive zone against the New York Islanders during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Keep: Yes Timmins has been a steady presence on Pittsburgh's third pairing since coming over in the same trade that brought Dewar over from the Toronto Maple Leafs on deadline day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-acquire-forward-and-defenseman-from-toronto-in-three-team-trade]. He has a goal and four points in five games with the Penguins and is tied for first in blocked shots per game at 1.4. Defensive depth is never a bad thing to have, and the Penguins could use more depth options on their right side - especially if Erik Karlsson ends up being shopped this summer [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/report-penguins-erik-karlsson-prepared-to-take-a-stance-on-no-movement-clause]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P.O JOSEPH Jan 5, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph (73) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/af3b01df-9953-4a29-80fb-422c8e979b2e.jpeg] Jan 5, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph (73) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) Keep: No In December, Dubas essentially added Joseph for nothing, acquiring him from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/blues-trade-joseph-to-penguins]. At the time, the move made sense in order to shore up some defensive depth, as injuries were piling up and Joseph was a safe, cheap option. However, the Penguins have enough left defensemen on their roster - Ryan Graves, Ryan Shea, Vladislav Kolyachonok, as well as Owen Pickering - who can fill that side just fine. Having Joseph around will only block a spot for Pickering - and the possiblity must be considered that the Penguins may seek to extend Matt Grzelcyk as well [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/well-begin-to-shift-to-the-execution-with-assets-collected-dubas-eyes-the-next-phase-for-penguins-hockey]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VASILY PONOMAREV Nov 19, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Vasily Ponomarev (11) skates with the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/80eb0b2b-ec36-457b-b255-a27b7fbd2b73.jpeg] Nov 19, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Vasily Ponomarev (11) skates with the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Keep: Yes Ponomarev, 23, is having a solid season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, even if he's gone a bit cold with just two goals and four points in the last 10 games. On the season, he has 13 goals and 35 points in 46 games, and he saw three NHL games this season. This should be a "prove it" one- or two-year deal for Ponomarev, who figures to be on the NHL roster for most - if not, all - of next season. The young two-way forward, at this juncture, projects to be just one player out of the crop of prospects in the Penguins' system [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/february-penguins-prospects-update-forwards] expected to make some kind of impact in future NHL minutes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER RFA PREDICTIONS: Keep: - G Taylor Gauthier - D Mac Hollowell - D Filip Kral - F Mathias Laferriere Don't keep: - F Raivis Ansons - D Colton Poolman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwquDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
