Once again, the Penguins' season has come to an early end, and the focus turns to the offseason.
Here's a look at the league calendar for the remainder of this season and offseason.
June 30: Last possible day of season
The latest the Stanley Cup Final could possibly go is June 30
July 1: First buyout period opens
The NHL doesn't allow the buying out of contracts year-round. The first buyout period typically opens 24 hours after the Stanley Cup is awarded, but has a set date this year as part of the transition rules set by the NHL for the adjusted season schedule.
Here is a primer I previously wrote regarding the NHL's buyout process.
I wouldn't anticipate this to apply to any Penguins players, given the steep penalties involved. If they want to shed salary on the roster, a trade makes the most sense with this group.
July 7-8: NHL Draft
The first round will be held on the evening of the 7th, and the last six rounds will be held the following afternoon. The draft will be held in Montreal this year.
The Canadiens own the No. 1 overall pick and the right to draft Kingston Frontenacs center Shane Wright, the anticipated top pick. Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley, a forward who grew up in the Penguins Elite program, is anticipated to be selected No. 2 by the Devils.
The Penguins actually have a first-round pick this year! They still have their first, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh selections in the draft. Their second-round pick was sent to the Ducks in the Rickard Rakell trade, and the third-round pick went to the Kings in the Jeff Carter trade.
July 11: Qualifying offer deadline
Teams must make their qualifying offers to their pending restricted free agents, or those players will become unrestricted free agents when free agency opens.
The Penguins' restricted free agents from the NHL roster are forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Danton Heinen. Prospects who are restricted free agents include goaltender Alex D'Orio, forwards Alex Nylander, Justin Almeida, Jan Drozg, Kasper Bjorkqvist, Jordy Bellerive, and defensemen Cam Lee, P.O Joseph, Niclas Almari, and Will Reilly.
July 12: First buyout period ends
Teams have until this day to buy out any players in the first period of the offseason. The second buyout period opening is contingent on salary arbitration results, so this may be the only opportunity for teams to buy out any players.
July 13, noon: Start of free agency
In addition to the aforementioned restricted free agents, the Penguins currently have a number of players set to become unrestricted free agents from the NHL roster: Forwards Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Evan Rodrigues and Brian Boyle, defensemen Kris Letang and Nathan Beaulieu, and goaltenders Casey DeSmith and Louis Domingue.
From the minors, forwards Michael Chaput and Anthony Angello and defensemen Juuso Riikola and Michael Chaput are set to be unrestricted free agents.
July 27-August 11: Salary arbitration hearings
The Penguins have six pending restricted free agents who have arbitration rights: Kapanen and Heinen, plus prospects Bjorkqvist, Lee, Almari and Reilly.
Here's a primer I previously wrote on the salary arbitration process.
The NHL's second buyout period only opens for teams who have a salary arbitration case. That period, if it opens for a team, lasts for 48 hours and begins on the third day following the team’s last salary arbitration settlement. However, if the case was sent to arbitration by the team and not the player, and the team did not give the player a qualifying offer, then the team must have at least two total arbitration cases for the second buyout period to be allowed.
August 15, 5 p.m.: Deadline for teams to sign college draft picks whose rights are expiring
For the Penguins, this only applies to defenseman Clayton Phillips, who was the Penguins' third-round pick in 2017. Phillips signed an amateur tryout with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton following the conclusion of his senior season at Penn State, played one game, and was released from the tryout, so it seems unlikely that he will be signed to an NHL deal by the deadline.
Some intriguing players could hit the free agent market after the deadline if they opt to not sign with the team that drafted them.
