The Pittsburgh Penguins started July 1st out with the unexpected signing of forward Brandon Tanev, but were relatively quiet the rest of the day, as they only signed two minor league players. Nobody really expected them to go crazy in free agency, but I thought they would have signed a defenseman. Here is a recap of their day and a little about each of the new Penguins.
- Brandon Tanev, F. Tanev was signed to a six-year, $21 million dollar contract which carries a $3.5 million AAV. He appeared in 80 games last season for the Winnipeg Jets, in which he tallied 29 points. He then appeared in five playoff games for the team, through which he produced one goal and one assist. Tanev was signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in March of 2016, and he has appeared in 195 career NHL games, over which he has recorded 24 goals and 27 assists. The 27-year-old left wing is leaving the only organization he has known over his four season NHL career.
- David Warsofsky, D. Warsofsky was signed to a two year, $1.4 million dollar contract that carries the league minimum AAV of $700,000. He did not play in the NHL last season, but he did appear in 51 games for the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles last season, in which he produced five goals and 27 assists. He then appeared in four of the Eagles’ playoff games, producing two points. He has appeared in 403 AHL games over his career, over which he has tallied 200 points. Warsofsky was drafted 95th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues and has appeared in 55 career NHL games, over which he has tallied two goals and nine assists. This will be the 29-year-old defenseman’s third season with the Penguins organization and his fourth organization overall in what will be his tenth professional season.
- Andrew Agozzino, F. Agozzino was signed to a two year, $1.4 million dollar contract that carries an average annual value of $700,000. He appeared in 11 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season, in which he recorded two points. He also appeared in 56 games with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, through which he tallied 60 points. He then played in four playoff games for the Eagles, over which he produced three goals and zero assists. Over his AHL career, he has appeared in 467 games and produced 352 points. Over his NHL career, he has appeared in 21 games and has scored five points. Agozzino was signed by the Avalanche as an undrafted free agent before the 2012-13 season, and this will be the 28-year-old center’s third NHL organization in what will be his eighth professional season, and he will be joining his first eastern conference team.
- Joseph Blandisi, F. Blandisi resigned with the Penguins on a one year, $700,000 contract. He spent the first part of last season with the Anaheim Ducks before being traded to the Penguins in January 2017. He played in nine NHL games last year, three in Anaheim and six in Pittsburgh, in which he failed to record a single point. He also played in 54 AHL games last season between the two organizations, in which he produced 43 points. Over his AHL career, Blandisi has appeared in 158 games and put up 120 points. He also has appeared in 80 career NHL games, over which he has tallied 26 points. He was drafted 162nd overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2012, and this will be the 24-year-old winger’s first full season in the Penguins organization, which is his third organization in what will be his fifth professional season.
- Adam Johnson, F. Johnson was resigned to a one year contract worth $700,000. Last season, he appeared in the first six games of his NHL career for the Penguins, in which he tallied zero goals and two assists. He also played in 67 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in which he tallied 43 points. Over his AHL career, he has played in 137 games and tallied 74 points. The 25-year-old winger was an undrafted free agent that signed with Pittsburgh after spending two seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and they are the only team he has known as he enters his third professional season.
- Teddy Blueger, F. Blueger was resigned to a two-year contract worth $1.5 million that has a $750,000 AAV. Last season, he played in 28 games with Pittsburgh, in which he tallied ten points. He also played in 45 games for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in which he produced 39 points. He then appeared in one playoff game for Pittsburgh, over which he failed to record a single point. Over his AHL career, he has played in 179 games and produced 115 points. The 24-year-old winger was drafted 52nd overall by Pittsburgh in 2012, and they are the only organization he has known over his five season professional career.
- Zach Aston-Reese, F. Aston-Reese was resigned to a two year, $2 million contract that carries an AAV of $1 million. Last season, he played in 43 games for the Penguins, in which he tallied 17 points. He also appeared in 11 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in which he put up nine points. He then played in four playoff games for Pittsburgh but failed to record a single point in them. Over his NHL career, he has played in 59 games, over which he has produced 23 points. The 24-year-old winger was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Penguins during the 2016-17 season after he completed his senior season at Northeastern University, and they are the only organization he has known over his four season professional career.
This post will be updated with every new Penguins signing in the future.
Hockey Addict 