(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner, left, makes a save against Calgary Flames’ Adam Klapka during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) The NHL’s free agency period began yesterday, and the Pittsburgh Penguins received some new players and some of their current players went to other teams.
Some of the Penguins’ free agency moves were as follows:
Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner signed a two-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets yesterday. According to the Jets, the free agent goaltender agreed to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million. The Penguins received Skinner from the Edmonton Oilers in a trade that sent fellow goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Oilers on December 12th, 2025.
Penguins forward Noel Acciari signed with the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday. His contract is two years and has an average annual value of $2.8 million. He had 26 points in 73 games played for the Penguins combined for the 2025-2026 regular season and playoffs.
Penguins defenseman Connor Clifton signed with the Boston Bruins yesterday. Clifton has played for the Bruins from 2018-2025, and his contract is for two years. The average annual value of his contract is $2.5 million. He had 6 points in 53 games played for the Bruins combined for the 2025-2026 regular season and playoffs.
The Penguins signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk. His contract is for two years and he played for the Washington Capitals last season and the average annual value of his contract is 4 million. He tallied 14 points in 68 games played with the Capitals during the 2025-2026 season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded left winger Nick Robertson to Penguins yesterday. The Penguins acquired Robertson by giving a 2028 fourth round MHL draft pick to the Maple Leafs. He is only twenty-four years old and had thirty-two points in seventy-eight games played for the Maple Leafs this past season.
Forward Andrei Kuzmenko signed a one-year contract with the Penguins yesterday for $5 million. Kuzmenko played for the Los Angeles Kings last season. He had twenty-five points in fifty-three games played for the Kings combined for the 2025-2026 regular season and playoffs.
Defenseman Declan Carlile signed a two-year contract with the Penguins yesterday with an average annual value of $1.5 million. He played for the Tampa Bay Lightning as well as their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, last season. He had three points in forty-four games played for the Lightning combined for the 2025-2026 regular season and playoffs.