Cooper Foster’s sign or leave day is today
Today’s June 1st date is relevant in the NHL calendar for signing certain draft picks, specifically those selected in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft who are playing in North American leagues (e.g., OHL, WHL, QMJHL, NCAA, or USHL).
Cooper Foster, a 2023 sixth round draft pick out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and one of Kyle Dubas’s first draft picks with the Penguins is set to have his rights expire today if he’s not signed by the Penguins by 5:00pm.
Foster’s OHL numbers haven’t much gone anywhere — the center had a 53 point season in 2024-25 for Ottawa after putting up 52 points for the club in 2023-24.
Foster, who turns 20 next week, would be eligible to be selected again the 2025 NHL draft should he not end up with the Penguins.
There hasn’t been a lot of news or buzz and hanging out until deadline day likely doesn’t seem promising for his prospects in Pittsburgh.
To help mitigate this, the Pens have signed Avery Hayes to an NHL contract and this could be an example of why Foster won’t be given a chance to turn pro in the Pens’ organization.
Pittsburgh has an August 15th deadline for players who have gone through college and graduated, with 2020 sixth round draft pick Chase Yoder falling in this category. Yoder is the only player whose rights with the team set to expire on 8/15 now that defender Daniel Laatsch was signed earlier this spring.
Pittsburgh signed Brayden Yager from their 2023 draft class, but traded him last summer to Winnipeg for Rutger McGroarty. The team has also signed defender Emil Pieniniemi, who figures to turn pro full-time next season. The Pens still retain the NHL rights to Russian prospect Mikhail Ilyin and also unsigned 2023 European seventh round draft picks Kalle Kangas and Emil Jarventie.
The team has been busy signing up 2024 draftees as well. Finn Harding and Chase Pietila got NHL contracts earlier this spring, top draftees in Harrison Brunicke and Tanner Howe have already affixed their signatures to contracts, so there won’t be any 6/1 deadlines next season for the Pens.