League: NHL Sport: Hockey Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Penguins prepare for NHL free agency after uneventful draft weekend

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 28, 2026, 6:24 PM

Last updated Jun 28, 2026

Penguins prepare for NHL free agency after uneventful draft weekend

Summary

The Pittsburgh Penguins concluded an uneventful draft weekend, acquiring Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks and adding mid-round selections for 2026. With the July 1st free agency approaching, the team's top forwards include Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust. Several players are positioned for important roles, including Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov. As of now, speculation exists regarding potential trades involving Rakell and Rust, but no moves have materialized. The left defense position remains a potential area for improvement as the offseason progresses.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Penguins acquired Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks.
•Crosby, Rakell, and Rust are top forward options.
•Egor Chinakhov expected to play an important role next season.
•Potential trades involving Rakell and Rust have not occurred.
•Left defense position remains an area of concern heading into free agency.

Latest Updates

6:24 PMYahoo Sports — Penguins organizational outlook heading into free agency

What they're saying

"
It ended up being a mostly uneventful draft weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They acquired Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks, used some of their stockpile future of picks to get extra 2026 mid-round selections and went about their business of drafting players without many fireworks going down with massive moves. The big landmark for the […]
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Pittsburgh Penguins Winnipeg Jets NHL Hockey

Sources

External links

Yahoo SportsJun 28, 2026, 6:24 PM
Penguins organizational outlook heading into free agency
It ended up being a mostly uneventful draft weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They acquired Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks, used some of their stockpile future of picks to get extra 2026 mid-round selections and went about their business of drafting players without many fireworks going down with massive moves. The big landmark for the […]

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Sources

Related Stories