Penguins bolster defense by signing Trevor van Riemsdyk

Trevor van Riemsdyk. David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Penguins bolster defense by signing Trevor van Riemsdyk away from rival

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Jul 1, 2026 4:27 PM ET

To help shore up the blue line, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened up free agency by signing veteran defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk away from the rival Washington Capitals.

A deal announced by the Penguins on Wednesday, through the 2027-28 season and for an annual value of $4 million, brings van Riemsdyk to a Penguins team that was exposed defensively in their first-round playoff loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Trevor van Riemsdyk should bolster the Penguins' poor defense

The addition of the 6-foot-3, 210-pound van Riemsdyk adds size and defensive prowess to a Penguins defense that ranked 24th in the NHL in defense throughout the 2025-26 season.

Able to also chip in offensively from time to time, van Riemsdyk scored three goals and tallied 14 points as a +6 in 68 games this past season with the Capitals.

Leaving Washington after six seasons, van Riemsdyk has 28 goals, 133 assists and 161 points in 751 NHL games in a career that started in 2014-15 with the Chicago Blackhawks and included also spending three years in Carolina with the Hurricanes.

The Penguins have signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a two-year contract.

Details: https://t.co/wM21lhTUZY pic.twitter.com/Zv80nWiv1H
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 1, 2026

van Riemsdyk is also bringing big-game experience to a Penguins roster looking to find success in the final years of Sidney Crosby and the return of Evgeni Malkin, while building up a young future core as well.

van Riemsdyk is no stranger to playing in big games

With 45 playoff games under his belt, his last postseason experience was in the spring of 2025. He recorded two assists and four penalty minutes in 10 games for that Capitals team. He has six total points in playoff games for the Blackhawks, Hurricanes and Capitals, earning a Stanley Cup ring as a rookie with Chicago.

More is needed, but more moves could be on the way for the Penguins as president of hockey operations and team general manager, Kyle Dubas, continues to put in work early in free agency.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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