Penguins sign forward Justin Brazeau to two-year deal

Big forward has ties to Kyle Dubas

The Penguins announced a few more depth signings on Tuesday night.

The Wotherspoon news was out of the bag, and similarly the team added fellow depth defenseman Caleb Jones to a two-year deal worth a $900,000 cap hit to the club.

The big surprise might be adding a 6’6” physical, right-handed winger known for his net-front presence and ability to hold onto pucks, Justin Brazeau.

From the Pens:

Brazeau, 27, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $1.5 million. Wotherspoon, 27, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $1 million. Jones, 28, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $900,000.

The 6-foot-6, 227-pound Brazeau split the 2024-25 season between the Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins. In 76 games last season, Brazeau recorded 11 goals, 11 assists and 22 points. The forward has played in parts of two NHL seasons with Minnesota and Boston, tallying 16 goals, 13 assists and 29 points in 95 career games.

Brazeau began his professional career by playing in parts of five seasons in the American Hockey League from 2019-24 with Toronto and Providence, recording 118 points (53G-65A) in 189 career AHL games.

Prior to turning professional, Brazeau skated in four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the North Bay Battalion from 2015-19. In 268 career junior games, the forward registered 128 goals, 110 assists and 238 points. As captain during the 2018-19 season, the forward led all OHL players with 61 goals and was named to the First All-Star Team while being recognized as the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year.

As mentioned in the blurb above, there is a Kyle Dubas connection from the past since Dubas signed Brazeau as an undrafted free agent in 2019 when both were with Toronto. It would take several years of minor league action before Brazeau, since moved onto the Boston organization, made it to the NHL.

Brazeau has 16 goals and 13 assists over 95 career NHL games, including 11G+11A over 76 games with the Bruins and Minnesota Wild last season. Boston was able to flip the impending free agent to the Wild in exchange for Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko, and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick near the trade deadline.

Brazau, at a $1.5 million cap hit, is an interesting addition. The Penguins are flush with middle-six and bottom-six forwards, given that the team was also able to sign Philip Tomasino and Connor Dewar today. Those three FA additions join a crowded depth chart that includes Kevin Hayes, Danton Heinen, Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte that will be competing for limited spaces within the NHL lineup.

It’s always possible, and perhaps likely, that more roster movement is to come with future trades sending out some players previously with the team out to clear room for these signings.