Adding some defensive depth into the organization, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have signed defenseman Dmitri Samorukov to a one-year, $775K contract for the 2023-24 season. Bouncing between the Kontinental Hockey League and the American Hockey League over the last several seasons, Samorukov has played in three NHL games the last two seasons, adding zero points.
Samorukov was originally drafted 84th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2017 NHL Draft, waiting until the 2019-20 season to join the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. After a two-goal, eight-assist performance for Bakersfield over 47 games, Samorukov left North America to join CKSA Moskva of the KHL for the 2020-21 season.
After a somewhat disappointing performance in the KHL, Samorukov came back to North America for the 2021-22 season, once again joining the Condors. In 51 games played at the AHL level, Samorukov played much better, chipping in three goals and 15 assists, earning an emergency recall in late December of that year, playing in one game for Edmonton.
In October of the 2022-23 NHL season, Samorukov was traded to the St.Louis Blues in exchange for forward Klim Kostin, immediately reporting to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. Throughout his one season with the Blues organization, Samorukov was called up twice last season, making two appearances at the NHL level.
Joining the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on a minor league contract this summer, Samorukov has played in 15 games, scoring one goal and four assists, which puts him third amongst defensemen in scoring for the team. Now, with this new contract, Pittsburgh will have the option to bring Samorukov to the NHL level if depth is needed on the blue line.