Penguins Get a Steal With Their Most Recent Signing

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a steal on Wednesday.

27-year-old forward Danton Heinen, who played for the Pens last season but did not receive a qualifying offer from the team this offseason, re-signed with Pittsburgh for one year and $1 million.

After making a string of defensive changes and re-signing forward Kasperi Kapanen to a two-year deal with an annual average value (AAV) of $3.2 million, it seemed unlikely that a return to the Penguins would be in the cards for Heinen.

In 76 games last season, he scored 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points, his highest total in a season since his last full campaign with the Boston Bruins in 2018-2019. Given his age, his output, and the Penguins’ spending, it seemed as though he had priced himself out of Pittsburgh.

The Penguins got a steal by bringing back Danton Heinen.

Instead, the former Bruin and Anaheim Duck signed a team-friendly contract with the Penguins to run things back in the Burgh.

Obviously, the affordability of this deal is great for a team like Pittsburgh, which, according to CapFriendly, has no cap space remaining. A player like Heinen, however, was going to be a win at any price for a lot of NHL teams.

While he may not be the type of player that is going to lead a team in scoring or log 20 minutes per night, he is extremely good at filling his role. He plays at a high level in the bottom six and can fill in on the power play or penalty kill as needed.

Heinen may not be a flashy player, but he is great at what he does, and that will be important for the Penguins’ depth.

In 348 career games, Heinen has tallied 62 goals and 92 assists for 154 points to go with a plus-15 rating. In 2019, he helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final with eight points in 24 games. He scored three goals in the playoffs last season for the Pens.

Expect Heinen to once again be a vital part of the Penguins’ depth. If he can be effective in year two in Pittsburgh, this contract will be a steal for the Pens.