The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed three minor league players, inking Teddy Blueger, Thomas Di Pauli and Ethan Prow to one-year two-way contracts worth $650K at the NHL. All three signings had been noted previously, but are now officially on the books for the Penguins.
All three players are still waiting on their NHL debuts, but will continue to contribute to what has become a very successful minor league development system over the years. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were among the AHL’s best teams last year, and the Wheeling Nailers have been a true lower-level development program for the Penguins for some time. In fact, Prow even played three games for the Nailers this season when there wasn’t enough minutes to go around in the AHL, something the Penguins have embraced in their three-tiered system. Prow, an undrafted defenseman out of the NCAA, also recorded 17 points in 40 games for WBS this season.
Out of the three players Blueger likely has the best chance at ever making an impact at the NHL level, though that chance remains quite low. The second-round pick scored 45 points in the AHL last season and continued to grow into a legitimate offensive threat. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a short call-up this season if the Penguins get into injury trouble, but all three players should spend the majority of the season in the minor leagues. The Penguins are fine with paying for experienced depth in the AHL though, and have continually brought in four-year college players to fill out their ranks.