Brought back to the organization very recently after signing an amateur tryout agreement with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins have officially signed top-prospect Joel Blomqvist to a three-year entry-level contract. The contract will begin next year and run through the 2025-26 season.
Blomqvist spent the majority of the current campaign with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga, where he went 6-5-8 in 21 games while carrying a .907 save percentage and a 2.29 GAA. Due to concussion issues he experienced throughout the year, Blomqvist was unable to play the full season.
The young goaltender was originally drafted 52nd overall by the Penguins in the 2020 NHL Draft. Playing for Karpaat's U20 team during his draft year, Blomqvist posted a 26-6-0 record, a .931 save percentage and a 1.66 GAA across 34 games contests.
On the international scene for Finland, Blomqvist participated in the 2021 World Junior Championship and was a member of the nation's bronze medal team which defeated the Russian Federation.
While the baby Penguins will not make the playoffs in the AHL, Blomqvist will likely receive additional starts as their season wraps up. If Blomqvist continues his progression, it would be safe to assume that he will join the team in Pittsburgh within the next three seasons and under this contract.
More must-reads: