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Penguins Already Making Smart Decisions For Next Season

Connor Dewar, Pittsburgh Penguins (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

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Penguins Already Making Smart Decisions For Next Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sylvie McCarthy | Last updated May 11, 2026 2:25 PM ET

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The Penguins made the playoffs this season for the first time since 2022, and although they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future, especially since president and general manager Kyle Dubas has not wasted any time this offseason. On May 7, Dubas signed forward Connor Dewar and defenseman Ilya Solovyov to contract extensions.

Dubas Needs to Build Off This Season’s Success

The Penguins were expected to be in full rebuild mode this season, and although the rebuild is ahead of schedule, it is far from over. For the past few seasons, the team has been lacking in depth production. This season, Pittsburgh’s bottom six made positive contributions almost every night, and the fourth line was a wrecking ball that opponents hated to see coming.

Dewar was re-signed to a two-year extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $2.25 million. He was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2025 and became a positive contributor almost immediately. He played 17 games with the Penguins last season and scored four goals and seven points.

This season, Dewar played 78 regular-season games, scoring 14 goals and 30 points. He was solid in all three zones, was good on the penalty kill, and his performance at five-on-five was strong all season. He also had one of the strongest playoff performances among the forward group. He scored two goals during the Penguins’ Round 1 series against the Flyers, including one in Game 4 to help his team avoid a series sweep.

Re-signing Dewar was a good decision on Dubas’s part. He plays a physical, high-energy game, and he helped make Pittsburgh’s fourth line one of the best in hockey during the regular season. Looking ahead to next season, the fourth line is pretty much already in place.

With Dewar and Blake Lizotte locked in, Dubas only has to make a decision on Noel Acciari. Acciari is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and although he was a reliable, physical presence in the bottom six, there may be a better option.

Due to injuries, the Penguins called up Avery Hayes from the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Feb. 6, and he scored two goals in his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres. He played 42 regular-season games with the Scranton Penguins, scoring 24 goals and 15 assists. Wilkes-Barre just advanced to the Atlantic Division Final in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with Hayes contributing two goals through four playoff games.

Hayes is not afraid to shoot the puck, and he is good at finding the back of the net. He is also not afraid to play a physical game. At 23 years old, he should be the exact type of player that Dubas wants on his roster moving forward.

Solovyov was signed to a one-year, $850,000 contract. He provides cheap, quality depth and could take the number six spot on defense next season. His skating needs a little work, but he moves the puck well and can play on either the left or right side.

Penguins Offseason Heading in the Right Direction

Dubas has a busy summer ahead, but he has started on the right foot. Both of his recent signings were smart business decisions that carry no risk. Dewar was a reliable bottom-six player who was good on the forecheck all season. The Penguins have every reason to believe he will continue to develop his game and be even better next season. Solovyov is a physical player who could turn into an affordable bottom-pairing defenseman.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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