Who Stays, Who Goes For Penguins In 2026-27?

With the offseason officially in full swing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s fair to wonder what this roster is going to look like next season.

Fresh off a season where they defied expectations and made the NHL playoffs, the Penguins will have some big decisions to make this summer regarding some uncertain situations. GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has done a masterful job in collecting assets and draft capital, and there’s a good chance he will target and favor young talent to help this team take the next step in 2026-27.

So, which pending restricted and unrestricted free agents figure to be part of that focus? There is a pretty long list of them, and not all of them will be wearing black and gold next season.

Here is who the Penguins should lock up – and who they should let go.

Restricted free agents

F Egor Chinakhov: Sign

This is a no-brainer, and it doesn’t require too much explanation. Chinakhov said during locker cleanout day that he wanted to sign in Pittsburgh and be “part of the organization for a long time.”

Well, his 18 goals and 36 points in 43 regular season games with the Penguins certainly earned him a multi-year deal, even if it is more along the lines of a two- or three-year bridge deal. The Penguins really like Chinakhov and his potential as a star top-six winger, and Chinakhov really likes the Penguins.

I would be shocked if he is not in Pittsburgh next season, and I think three years, $4.5 million per sounds about right given the salary cap spike.

‘There’s A Lot To Build On’: Penguins Confident 2025-26 Season Is Just The Starting Point For Contention

‘There’s A Lot To Build On’: Penguins Confident 2025-26 Season Is Just The Starting Point For Contention After being eliminated from the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins are confident that they’ll be back in the post-season in the years to come.

G Arturs Silovs: Sign

I can’t say I’ve seen a player literally earn a new contract at the last minute before. But Silovs did just that.

His .939 save percentage and otherwordly performance in the playoffs gave the Penguins a chance to come back from down 3-0 against the Philadelphia Flyers, and his playoff success is nothing new. He was tournament MVP during the Abbotsford Canucks’ AHL Calder Cup run in 2025, and he gave the Vancouver Canucks a chance to win against the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series in 2024 with next to no prior NHL experience.

Finding goaltenders who can turn it up five notches in the playoffs isn’t an easy thing. It’s a rarity. Even if there are some ups and downs as Silovs searches for regular season consistency, re-signing him as a playoff surety is a worthwhile gamble.

There’s a greater than decent chance that he and Sergei Murashov are the Penguins’ NHL tandem next season.

Penguins’ Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs Showing Big-Game Prowess In Series Against Flyers After going down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins turned to rookie goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, who has some big-game experience under his belt – and he has delivered.

Unrestricted free agents

F Noel Acciari: Walk

Acciari had a nice season for the Penguins, registering 13 goals and 25 points, which were each the second-highest totals of his career. He did that as part of a fourth line that was very formidable for the Penguins, generating momentum from the forecheck, turning in strong defensive plays and physicality, and successfully killing penalties.

But Acciari is 34, and he’s the exact kind of player who would block a worthy young player like Avery Hayes or Tristan Broz. Those guys are at a point in their development where NHL playing time is essential if they’ve earned it, which they largely have.

For that reason, there’s no sense in bringing back Acciari in terms of where the Penguins are at.

D Connor Clifton: Walk

Clifton started to come around at the end of the season, and his physicality is a unique aspect of his game and something that the Penguins could definitely use more of.

However, his performance didn’t stand out enough to justify re-signing, and his re-signing would only further the logjam on the right side and make it more difficult for a youngster like Harrison Brunicke to stick at the NHL level.

At the end of the day, he’s replaceable – and the Penguins may just add to their blue line this summer, anyway. Even if they don’t, Brunicke can effectively replace those minutes on the Penguins’ bottom pairing, assuming he has a strong camp.

Penguins’ top defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke takes a few liberties on Hershey player in Game 1 of AHL playoffs – Community Post Penguins fans remotely familiar with top defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke’s game know he is strong in transition and creates a fair share of offensive opportunity with his elite skating.

F Connor Dewar: Sign

After putting together a nice season – posting career-highs in goals (14) and points (30) to go along with a plus-16, the highest mark among forwards on the Penguins – there is a chance that another NHL team offers Dewar something above what the Penguins are willing to. And, like Acciari, he’s a fourth-line player, and Pittsburgh has plenty of younger players who will be vying for NHL roster spots.

It’s also worth noting that Dewar’s production dropped off significantly in the second half of the season.

But I think this is a player they bring back. Dewar likes it in Pittsburgh, and the Penguins are very happy with what Dewar has brought to the fourth line alongside Blake Lizotte. He’ll be 27 next season, which is still young enough to have around for several more years as a key depth contributor.

F Kevin Hayes: Walk

Hayes is a great locker room presence. The guys love him, and he’s a very positive and honest influence in that room.

But he played in only 28 games this season and was healthy-scratched otherwise. He’s 33, and he still has a set of hands, but his footspeed is an issue. There’s not really much point in keeping him around.

Maybe The 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins Were A Surprise. But This Is Only The Beginning. The Pittsburgh Penguins may have had a disappointing first-round exit this season, but the future looks bright.

F Evgeni Malkin: Sign

There are a lot of narratives out there about Malkin right now: He’s too old, he’s too injury-prone, he’s too unpredictable, the Penguins need youth, they shouldn’t commit to term, etc.

Well, here’s the thing. Malkin – who will be 40 next season – was over point-per-game for the first time in three years this season, is willing to play wing, has declared he wants “one more year,” probably won’t ask for a lot of money based on past comments, and is not currently blocking any “younger player” from top-six minutes because Ben Kindel is going to stay put at center and no one else has pushed.

So, there is no good reason not to bring him back for one year. It’s what Malkin wants, and it will have little to no effect on what Dubas is trying to accomplish. Quite frankly, I fail to understand why an extension hasn’t happened yet.

That said, I think it will. It may just drag out a bit, whether that’s fair to a franchise legend like Malkin or not.

‘I Don’t Know Life In The NHL Without Him’: Penguins’ Teammates Share Thoughts On Malkin And His Future With the future of Pittsburgh Penguins’ veteran star center Evgeni Malkin’s future up-in-the-air, his teammates shared their thoughts on playing with him, getting to know him, and whether they think he’ll be back next season.

F Anthony Mantha: Walk

While folks didn’t seem to be overly impressed with Mantha’s playoff performance – he recorded just one point in six post-season games – this is a guy who still led the Penguins in goals this season with 33 and was a huge reason they ended up making the playoffs, especially during the stretch run of the season.

But, Mantha is going to get paid – and he should get some term, too. Even though the Penguins have a lot of cap space, committing term to a 31-year-old winger coming off a career year and who is prone to injury probably isn’t the smartest move.

Had the Penguins not been in playoff contention, flipping Mantha would have been an easy choice. Not flipping him at the deadline isn’t going to set back their future, however, so neither will letting him walk and cash in elsewhere.

D Ryan Shea: Sign

Shea – like many – also had a career year for the Penguins. He had six goals and 35 points and was a team-high plus-30, and he helped shore up the Penguins’ bottom defensive pairing. The 29-year-old will be due for a relatively significant pay raise from his current $900,000, and he is likely to sign for more than one year.

I do think Shea will sign an extension with the Penguins for two or three years, but I don’t necessarily think that means he’ll stick around. I believe the Penguins are going to try to upgrade their blue line this summer – particularly, on the left side – and it would be a crowded place with a new face, Parker Wotherspoon, Shea, and Sam Girard.

It’s more likely that Girard or Wotherspoon is dealt as part of a package, but there is a chance that Shea could be the odd-man out. The only way I don’t see the Penguins signing him in the first place is if a team wants to throw stupid money at a third-pairing defenseman, and I can’t entirely rule that out.

3 Penguins Who Likely Won’t Be Back Next Season There is a chance that these three Penguins won’t be back next season.

D Ilya Solovyov: Sign

Speaking of the left side, Solovyov is another option. While he very well may leave for a better opportunity outside of Pittsburgh, I kind of see him as a Jack St. Ivany replacement of sorts: He’ll be young enough at age 26 that there is still more upside potential, he’ll come cheap, he can play both sides, and he is a good depth option.

Again, if another team comes knocking and offers Solovyov the chance to get more minutes, he’ll probably bite. But I don’t necessarily think that’s going to happen. If the Penguins can retain him, I think they will.

G Stuart Skinner: Walk

The goaltending situation in Pittsburgh will be sure be an interesting one to watch. Skinner played well in the playoffs and was good enough down the stretch for the Penguins to help them reach the playoffs in the first place. He’s also a great locker room presence and has said numerous times that he loves the family environment in Pittsburgh.

However, the play of Silovs during the playoffs may have just pushed Skinner out. Silovs is younger – technically, he was still a rookie this season – and he has a proven track record at this point of being able to perform in the playoffs.

Again, Murashov is pretty likely to be full-time in the NHL next season. I’m sure the Penguins would love to have Skinner back in a veteran mentor capacity to guide their most promising goaltending prospect.

But I’m not sure Skinner would settle for that. Goaltending is always needed across the league, and the 27-year-old can probably find a better opportunity elsewhere. Plus, I think the Penguins would be generally comfortable with a Silovs-Murashov tandem next season, especially with Joel Blomqvist and Taylor Gauthier likely to be waiting in the wings in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Kelly Cup Playoffs: Wheeling Nailers Advance To Second Round With Thrilling Double OT Win Over Reading Royals The ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers in double overtime on Saturday

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Read the full article here

What's Hot

New Spyker V8 Supercar Teased With 800 Horsepower

ESPN changes CM Punk’s music suddenly for WrestleMania 42

4th straight 1st-round exit leaves the Lightning searching for answers