While the offseason may be a ways down the road and one of the last things that Pittsburgh Penguins fans are thinking about right now, it is never too early to take a look at which of their pending free agents on the roster will likely be back and who could be wearing a different jersey come the start of the 2026-27 season.
Veterans Who Could Be on Their Way Out
Beginning with a player who has been a fixture in the bottom six of the Penguins lineup this season and ever since he came to Pittsburgh ahead of the 2023-24 season, Noel Acciari has seen his overall five-on-five ice time take a dip this season, while still being on the of the teams go-to penalty killers. He has added some offense this season and he may not cost a ton if general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas were to want to bring him back (Acciari is an unrestricted free agent), but Acciari is 34 years old and could be replaced by either a youngster in the Penguins’ system or with a player who is already on the roster who is younger and could be a part of the organization for more than a season or two.
Another veteran currently on the Penguins’ roster that is a pending UFA is Kevin Hayes. Since coming to the Penguins in the offseason leading up to the 2024-25 season, Hayes has had flashes of being a contributor for the Penguins, but overall he has not been able to stay in the lineup. He has only played in 25 games this season with five points and is like Acciari in the sense that his spot could end up being taken by a younger player who can make a bigger impact on the ice for the Penguins.
In the end, it is likely that Acciari and Hayes end up playing elsewhere next season, with Acciari being the most likely of the two to return to Pittsburgh.
Toss Up’s on Veterans on the Backend
There are a few pending UFA’s that the Penguins have that are toss up’s on if they will be back next season. In the grand scheme of things, these players’ future depends on how Dubas and the rest of the upper management feel the prospects they have in their system have developed and if they are ready to be full-time NHL players or not. Starting with two defensemen, Connor Clifton and Ryan Shea. Clifton was acquired by the Penguins at the 2025 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres and has been a solid third pair defenseman for the team, but has not brought a ton offensively (which has been the case in his career to this point).
His current contract is worth only $1 million and would probably not cost much more than that if he were to re-sign with the organization. He also helps keep a balance of right and left-handed shot defensemen in the lineup, but if the Penguins feel that Harrison Brunicke could be ready for a full-time spot in the lineup, then Brunicke could take over that spot Clifton currently holds.
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Shea is a couple of years younger than Clifton (Shea is 29, Clifton is 31), and has been more offensive for the Penguins this season and makes a little less than Clifton as well. Bringing him back as a depth piece on the backend of the ice might cost more than his current deal ($775,000), but he brings value to the lineup as well. Out of the two players, Shea is likely to return over Clifton for the aforementioned reasons (age, production).
In the crease, Stuart Skinner finds himself as a pending UFA and has been solid for the Penguins since being traded to the organization for Tristan Jarry. But with the Penguins having prospects like Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov both waiting in the wings, the veteran netminder could very easily be looking for a new team in the offseason. The Penguins could potentially offer him a one-year deal, but at this stage of his career, Skinner could be looking for more stability and a multi-year deal. It is likely that he will be on the way out of Pittsburgh at the end of the 2025-26 season.
UFA’s Who Should Be Back
The Penguins have a couple of UFA’s who should certainly coming back next season. Starting with Connor Dewar, who is another player that Dubas has acquired over the past year (acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2025). He has had a career year offensively, and has been relied upon as secondary production and on the penalty kill. He could easily take over the role that Acciari has had for the Penguins, while being younger (26 years old), and having more offensive upside to his game. His next contract will almost certainly be more than what he currently makes ($1.1 million), but the Penguins have the cap space to give him what he has earned.
A contract that I personally feel like should be a no-brainer to get done is with Evgeni Malkin. While he is 39 years old, Malkin continues to produce at a high-level and seems to have been re-invigorated playing with Yegor Chinakhov. The only way Malkin should not back in Pittsburgh next season is if he decides he wants to hang his skates up. He is a organization legend and has been one of the cornerstone pieces alongside Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang for the past decade-plus.
Can the Penguins Keep Mantha?
After a injury-shortened season last season, Anthony Mantha signed a one-year deal with the Penguins this last offseason in hopes of proving to himself and the league that he could be who many hoped he could be in his career. That has paid off in a big way for both the Penguins and Mantha. He has already set a career-high in goals and has been one of the Penguins most consistent offensive forces all season long. On top of that comes the fact he has yet to miss a game this season.
Would the Penguins like to bring back Mantha?: Absolutely. But with the way he has produced and stayed healthy, he very well could be in line for a longer-term contract that will come with a higher price tag tied to it. Again, the Penguins have the cap space to keep him in town, but there is no guarantee that he can replicate the production and health he has had this season. In reality, had the Penguins been in a “seller” position at the deadline, it is likely that Mantha could be wearing a different jersey right now. It is really a toss up on if he does return to Pittsburgh next season and could be affected by if Malkin does for some reason end up elsewhere.
Restricted Free Agents Will Be Back
The Penguins have three restricted free agents (RFA’s) on their NHL roster heading into the offseason, Yegor Chinakhov, Ville Koivunen, and Arturs Silovs. All three players will certainly be back next season, whether it is on a short-term or long-term contract. Chinakhov has revitalized his game since being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets this season, while Koivunen is a piece that the Penguins have been looking forward to seeing at the NHL level full-time. Silovs has been solid for the team in his first season in a Penguins jersey and should be the starting goaltender to go along with possibly a young backup (Blomqvist or Murashov).
The Offseason Will Be Interesting for the Penguins
As the Penguins continue to find themselves in the thick of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, they will be faced with an interesting offseason with the players that they will have to make decisions on. If they do end up seeing some of their UFA’s depart, they will surely look to fill the holes left. On the RFA front, they need to decide if the three they have on the roster are going to be long-term pieces or not.
