Over the next five months, the Penguins will have several key dates of note for this upcoming offseason.
TBD – The NHL draft lottery
Having missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Penguins are in the NHL’s draft lottery to determine the order of the first 16 selections. The Penguins finished 14th in overall standings from the bottom and have a minuscule chance of moving up to No. 4 overall in order of the first round (3.2% according to Tankathon).
Presuming they remain at 14, they will likely send that pick to the San Jose Sharks as part of the blockbuster trade in August that brought defenseman Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh
May 10-26 — IIHF World Championship
The International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championship tournament will be played in Czechia. A number of Penguins players — including Canadian forward Sidney Crosby — could participate. This event also serves as something of a scouting showcase for NHL teams looking for unsigned players in Europe.
June 1 — The NHL rights to unsigned defensive prospects Nolan Collins and Thimo Nickl expire
Collins (No. 167) was a sixth-round pick in 2022 while Nickl’s rights were acquired via trade in 2023. A native of Austria, Nickl is finishing this season with Wheeling and is expected to return to his native Austria for the 2024-25 campaign.
June 2-8 – NHL Scouting Combine
The presumed top prospects in this year’s draft will be evaluated by management and scouts from all 32 teams in Buffalo.
TBD — Deadline for first club-elected salary arbitration notification
NHL Teams can elect for arbitration with pending restricted free agents either on June 15 or 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final, whichever happens later. The last possible date for the Stanley Cup Final is June 24.
TBD — Deadline to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents
Pending restricted free agents who do not receive qualifying offers from teams are granted unrestricted free agent status.
TBD — NHL awards
No members of the Penguins are expected to win any awards.
June 28-29 — NHL Draft
One of the holy dates on the NHL calendar, the draft can serve as a fulcrum for teams to alter the composition of their roster with trades or negotiations with agents. Oh, by the way, prospects get drafted too.
Upcoming Local Events
July 1 — Free agency begins
Starting at noon, NHL clubs are free to sign free agents.
TBA – Prospect development camp
The Penguins will once again host a summer camp for their prospects in Cranberry.
July 5 — Deadline for player-elected salary arbitration notification
Restricted free agents can file for arbitration in the pursuit of a new contract.
July 6 — Deadline for second club-elected salary arbitration notification
A second window for NHL teams to file for arbitration with restricted free agents opens.
July 20-Aug. 4 — Salary arbitration hearings
Given the uncomfortable nature of arbitration hearings, teams and players typically reach an agreement before getting to this step.
TBA – Training camp
The Penguins will gather in Cranberry for the franchise’s 57th training camp.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.