Before the start of the NHL's free agent signing period, Jim Rutherford floated Teddy Blueger's name as a possibility to land a roster spot out of training camp.
Obviously, that path appears to be blocked for the time being after the general manager re-signed Riley Sheahan and brought back Matt Cullen. But Blueger still stands a good chance to make his NHL debut at some point in the 2018-19 season.
The organization remains very high on the 23-year-old Latvian and they rewarded him on Tuesday by signing him to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $650,000 at the NHL level.
Blueger, a second-round pick in 2012, scored 45 points (21 goals) in 70 games last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In two seasons in the AHL, he's recorded 76 points (28 goals, 48 assists) in 134 games. He got a small glimpse of the NHL last February when he was recalled for a week, though he didn't appear in any games.
During last month's prospects development camp, Wilkes-Barre coach Clark Donatelli said that he believes Blueger is ready to make the jump to the NHL.
“Played every situation, can kill penalties, really good player,” Donatelli said. “Teddy can play games in the NHL. He made it up last year but didn’t get any games. But he’s got a fine future ahead of him. He’s ready to play.”
Along with Blueger, the Penguins also re-signed forward Thomas Di Pauli and defenseman Ethan Prow to one-year, two-way contracts.
Di Pauli, signed as a free agent in 2016, has scored 22 points in 79 AHL games over the past two seasons. The speedy 24-year-old scored 12 goals in 2017-18, including three game-winners. He was originally a fourth-round pick of the Capitals in 2012 but opted to play college hockey at Notre Dame and become an unrestricted free agent after his senior season.
Prow, 25, set career highs in goals (4) and points (17), in 40 games last season for Wilkes-Barre. He has 34 points in 104 career AHL games.
With Blueger, Di Paul and Prow under contract, goalie Tristan Jarry is the only unsigned restricted free agent remaining. According to capfriendly.com, the Penguins have $745,000 in cap space.
