Ron Hextall said in his pre-trade deadline media availability that there were "hopefully" more signings of undrafted free agents coming for the Penguins.
The Penguins at the time had already signed OHL center Jordan Frasca, WHL goaltender Taylor Gauthier, and Princeton winger Corey Andonovski to entry-level contracts that kick in next season.
"I think when you have the number of draft picks that we've had without first round picks the last few years, you look into that market a little bit more," Hextall told me of those signings. "Sometimes you have a better chance because your prospect pool isn't stacked."
The Penguins did keep looking into the undrafted free agent market and added a fourth prospect to that incoming group. Hextall on Monday announced the signing of Michigan Tech defenseman Colin Swoyer to an entry-level contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level that begins next season. The contract, due to NHL rules, is for one year because of Swoyer's age. Swoyer turns 24 years old on Thursday.
Swoyer is a right-handed, 6-foot, 192-pound defenseman who recently completed his senior season at Michigan Tech, after the Huskies were eliminated in the NCAA West Region Semifinal on Thursday with a 3-0 loss to Minnesota-Duluth.
Swoyer led all Michigan Tech defensemen in scoring this season with five goals (four on the power play) and 23 points through 36 games. His 34 blocked shots ranked 11th in the CCHA.
This was his fifth goal of the season, a power play tally after going to the net:
His fourth goal of the season was another power play goal, dropping to one knee and unleashing this laser of a shot:
Swoyer's third goal was another power play goal that came after going to the front of the net:
His second goal of the year was the lone goal that came at even strength:
Swoyer's first goal looked much like his third and fifth goals, going to the front of the net on the power play:
As a junior, Swoyer won Michigan Tech's Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Award as the team's most outstanding defensive player for the second straight season and recorded three goals and 14 assists in 30 games, finishing No. 2 on the team in assists. His 53 blocked shots led the team and ranked eighth among all NCAA players.
When Swoyer joined Michigan Tech, he described himself as "a two-way defenseman with good offensive capabilities. I feel like I'm a pretty good skater. I feel like I have pretty good hockey IQ and good vision."
Swoyer previously attended the St. Louis Blues' development camp in 2019.
Swoyer will report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an amateur tryout contract, a contract that allows him to finish the AHL season with Wilkes-Barre without his entry-level contract kicking in yet. Wilkes-Barre's next game is Wednesday at home against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Swoyer is the second defenseman joining Wilkes-Barre on a tryout contract to finish the year, following the signing of Penguins 2017 third-round pick Clayton Phillips to an AHL contract out of Penn State last Monday. To free up a spot on the already-crowded Wilkes-Barre blue line for one of the young incoming defensemen, Wilkes-Barre traded AHL-contracted veteran defenseman Chris Bigras to the Chicago Wolves on Monday.
