Changes ahead on the brink of free agency
Kyle Dubas spoke today at an introductory press conference with members of the Penguins’ 2025 draft class today.
The Penguins are holding an introductory press conference with the 2025 Draft Class beginning at 12 PM.
Stream: https://t.co/sl8AnlqxqC
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 30, 2025
In addition to the platitudes and introduction of the newest, youngest Penguins, Dubas mentioned that Pittsburgh chose to not qualify three players ahead of today’s 5:00pm deadline. Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Emil Bemstrom and Taylor Gauthier will become unrestricted free agents tomorrow after not getting a QO from the Pens.
Dubas indicated the team is still in talks with Phil Tomasino and Connor Dewar and intend to qualify those two forwards. The Pens will also qualify Russian-signed Vasily Ponomarev to retain his NHL rights.
#Pens PoHO/GM Kyle Dubas: Still having conversations with Tomasino & Dewar. The rest of our RFAs will not be qualified. pic.twitter.com/iCfLZRnFBS
— Josh Getzoff (@JG_PxP) June 30, 2025
This will mark the second year in a row that Joseph was not qualified by Pittsburgh. Last summer he signed with St. Louis, only to be traded back to the Pens by mid-season.
Bemstrom, acquired from Columbus in 2024 for Alex Nylander, split time between the AHL and NHL last season, recording no goals and only one assist in 14 games in Pittsburgh.
Gauthier, 24, was an undrafted free agent that mostly toiled in the ECHL due to the organization’s depth at the goalie position.
Dubas also indicated that the Pens would turn loose their unrestricted free agents that included Matt Grzelcyk, Matt Nieto and several minor leaguers to at least venture into the open market tomorrow when their contracts expire.
Will the pending UFAs be free to hit the market on Tuesday?
Kyle Dubas: “Yeah. With our current strategy, we’re going to see what’s out there and see where we’re at.”
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) June 30, 2025
The NHL’s free agency period opens tomorrow at 12 noon eastern time. The Pens have upwards of $20 million in cap space (once dropping Joona Koppanen and Boko Imama from the Puck Pedia NHL roster outlook) but are not expected to be aggressive in signing players toward long-term or big money contracts in the free agent market.