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Matt Grzelcyk

Poll: Will Jack Roslovic Or Matt Grzelcyk Sign First?

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We’re closing in on a month before the start of informal rookie camps around the league. Of PHR’s Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents, 45 have already found new homes for the upcoming campaign – including 23 of the top 25 names.

The two missing from that group are three-position forward Jack Roslovic and left-shot defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. While Roslovic has had strong interest from multiple teams all summer long and appears to be playing the long game to drive up desperation as teams miss out on other forward options, Grzelcyk’s market hasn’t been as fervent.

In fact, there’s been essentially no firmly documented interest in Grzelcyk since July 1. That’s despite the 31-year-old entering the signing window with the most points among UFA defensemen last year, notching a career-best 1-39–40 scoring line with the Penguins.

There are some clear reasons for his smaller-than-expected market. He’s on the small side for a rearguard at 5’10” and 180 lbs, doesn’t play much of a physical game at all, and has something of an injury history. He played all 82 games last season for the first time, eclipsing the 70-game mark for the third time in nine years.

That being said, he has strong results in a complementary top-four role next to a more all-around dominant righty. The vast majority of his 527-game NHL career was spent with the Bruins alongside Charlie McAvoy, where he consistently put up 20 to 30 points per season and never had a negative rating.

Last year’s -6 mark on his one-year deal with the Pens isn’t much of a blemish, either. That came with more taxing minutes than he’s used to – averaging a career-high 20:37 per game – and he had better per-60 defensive results at even strength than Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang while also generating more offense than them on the power play.

Few teams would give Grzelcyk the top-unit PP deployment he had throughout the year in Pittsburgh, making another 40-point year unlikely. Still, there’s been an eerie silence around the market for someone who checks out as a highly serviceable No. 4/5 option on most teams who’s comfortable playing on any pairing.

Roslovic’s free agency has been covered more at length as a result of his more widespread interest. Last month, we published free agent profiles on both Grzelcyk and Roslovic.

He’s been connected most firmly to the Canucks and Maple Leafs over the past several weeks, but any team with at least $3MM to $4MM in cap space to accommodate him should be viewed as a legitimate contender for his services. Roslovic’s selling point is his versatility – he may not have the scoring consistency required of a bona fide top-six option. Still, few players could legitimately slot into any spot on any line and find a way to make things work like he can.

Like Grzelcyk, Roslovic is coming off something of a career year in his platform season, although his age advantage by three years strengthens his case for a multi-year deal. While he fell short of his career-high in points in 2024-25, he tied his mark in goals (22) in quite limited deployment with the Hurricanes, averaging under 14 minutes per game for the first time since 2018-19. He’s comfortably averaged 43 points per 82 games over the past three seasons and should be a solid bet to hit that mark again in 2025-26, especially if he sees a bump in minutes.

All that being said, who do you think will come off the UFA list first? Tell us what you think in the poll below and expand on your thoughts in the comments:

Free Agent Profile: Matt Grzelcyk

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After spending eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins last offseason. While he got off to a slow start in Pittsburgh, Grzelcyk eventually found his stride, posting several career highs along the way, including points (40), blocked shots (101), and games played (82). He also averaged a career-high 20:37 of ice time per game.

For teams looking to add offense this late in free agency, Grzelcyk’s 40 points last season actually leads all remaining unsigned players. However, teams will truly be targeting a reliable third-pairing defenseman who can slide up the lineup and log big minutes when needed.

After a few disappointing seasons to end his stint with the Bruins, the Boston-native signed a one-year, $2.75 MM contract with Pittsburgh in hopes of rejuvenating his career. While he may not have done enough to earn a lucrative multi-year deal, Grzelcyk showed well despite Pittsburgh’s difficult situation and should still warrant a role with an NHL team in need of a left-handed depth option on the blue line.

As the top remaining free agent defenseman, Grzelcyk should find a new home soon. Grzelcyk, 31, is the only defenseman left on the board among ProHockeyRumors’ top 50.

Stats

2024-25: 81 GP, 1 G, 39 A, 40 PTS, -4, 16 PIMS, 101 blocked shots, 43 hits, 20:37 ATOI
Career: 527 GP, 26 G, 149 A, 175 PTS, +131, 253 PIMS, 542 blocked shots, 353 hits, 18:27 ATOI

Potential Suitors

While a reunion with the Penguins once seemed possible, the team’s recent addition of fellow veteran Matt Dumba may have officially closed the door on that option. While Pittsburgh has the cap flexibility to add Grzelcyk, the team currently has eight defensemen signed to one-way deals, with prospects Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke waiting in the wings. A hometown reunion with the Bruins also seems out of play, as Boston is limited in both cap space (approximately $2MM per PuckPedia) and need for a left-handed defender. With that said, plenty of other suitors should be in play, as contending teams like the Maple Leafs and younger teams looking to add veteran presence and leadership, such as the Blackhawks, could all benefit from Grzelcyk’s services. The Sharks appeared to be a potential fit for Grzelcyk at the start of free agency but have made blue line deals elsewhere this offseason.

Projected Contract

Before free agency, ProHockeyRumors ranked Grzelcyk as the 22nd-best free agent on the market, and predicted a three-year, $3.67MM AAV deal. He was ranked just ahead of Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, who would both go on to sign multi-year deals with the Kings. However, this late in the process, Grzelcyk is probably more likely to land another one-year deal with a low salary. In fact, Grzelcyk may be looking at an identical contract to the one he signed in Pittsburgh last season, just south of $3MM.

Poll: Top Remaining Free Agent

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More than two weeks into NHL free agency, it’s no surprise that the top-tier players on the market have already secured deals. In fact, many secondary and depth signings have also been completed. According to PuckPedia, 244 contracts have been signed, totaling just over $1 billion.

Still, there are a few recognizable names left on the open market who could make positive contributions at the NHL level. Let’s take a look at the list and assess who’s most likely to succeed.

D Matt Grzelcyk – Believe it or not, Grzelcyk’s 40 points last season is tops among all remaining free agents. After spending eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, Grzelcyk signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins last offseason. After a slow start in Pittsburgh, Grzelcyk hit his stride and showcased his highest career point total despite scoring just one goal on the year. The 31-year-old left-shot defenseman should give a team a reliable option on a third pairing. In 527 career games, Grzelcyk has posted 175 points and a plus-131 rating. With a thinning market for blue liners remaining, he should find a new home soon.

F Jack Roslovic – Despite a 20-plus goal season last year, center Jack Roslovic is still searching for a new home. After signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes last offseason, Roslovic posted 22 goals and 39 points on the year, while adding one goal and four points in nine playoff games. While Roslovic showcased an incredible turnaround in the faceoff circle with a 54.1 percent win rate (compared to his career average of 44.4), his 13:49 average ice time per game was his lowest since 2018-19. He also had a career-high 63 giveaways last season. While the Maple Leafs expressed interest in Roslovic earlier in free agency, the forward remains unsigned.

F Victor Olofsson – While Olofsson struggled to stay healthy last season (a common theme for his career), the 29-year-old winger produced 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games for the Vegas Golden Knights. That put Olofsson on an 82-game pace of 22 goals and 42 points, which would have been the most he’s scored since notching his career-high 49 points in the 2021-22 season. He also chipped in two goals and four points in nine playoff games. Olofsson has produced three career 20-plus goal campaigns, including 28 with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2022-23 campaign. He could provide quality depth scoring, and perhaps even more if he stays healthy. The native of Sweden has played more than 72 games in a season just once (75 in 2022–23).

F Joel Kiviranta – While Kiviranta produced 16 goals in 79 games this season with the Colorado Avalanche, it far exceeded what he’s showcased throughout the rest of his NHL career. Last season, Kiviranta posted a 19 percent shooting percentage, nearly doubling his career average of 10.9 percent. With that said, he made the most of his career-high 12:31 average ice time, which included setting career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, faceoff percentage, and blocked shots. However, the well dried up in the postseason, as Kiviranta went scoreless in seven games. In 298 career games, the 29-year-old Kiviranta has produced 35 goals and 60 points.

F Luke Kunin – The last remaining free agent who produced double digit goal scoring last season is Kunin, who lit the lamp 11 times in 63 games for the San Jose Sharks before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the deadline. While Kunin’s time in Colombus didn’t prove to be a good fit (zero points in 12 games), he has proven to be a quality physical presence throughout his eight-year career, and the 27-year-old has received interest from several teams during free agency.

F Robby Fabbri – When healthy, Fabbri has been a solid contributor throughout his nine-year NHL career. However, like Olofsson, Fabbri has struggled to stay on the ice. That was no different last season with the Anaheim Ducks, where Fabbri fought through knee surgery and a hand injury that took away nearly half his season. He ended up posting eight goals and 16 assists in 44 games. The 29-year-old does have four seasons of at least 15 goals under his belt but has never played more than 72 games in a season. In 442 career games, Fabbri has produced 106 goals and 216 points.

Let us know below which remaining free agent will make the most significant impact in the 2025-26 season.

 

 

 

 

Penguins Notes: Grzelcyk, Acciari, Koivunen

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While veteran defender Matt Grzelcyk is set for free agency, he isn’t ruling out a return to the Pittsburgh Penguins, per team play-by-play commentator Josh Getzoff. Grzelcyk told reporters today that the team welcomed him with open arms and that he appreciated the trust the coaching staff showed in him. Despite a rough start to the year, the 31-year-old veteran played in all 82 games on the season and produced a career high 40 points while averaging 20:37 ice time per game. He signed a one-year, $2.75MM contract with Pittsburgh last summer after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Boston Bruins.

In other Penguins news:

  • Veteran depth forward Noel Acciari noted he’s been dealing with a hip injury that he’s hopeful to rehab this summer and avoid surgery, per Seth Rorabaugh of TribSports. Acciari played in 79 games for the Pens this season, posting five goals and 12 points while serving as the team’s primary fourth line center. He added 180 hits and 100 blocked shots, and a 53.7 faceoff percentage while also serving as a primary penalty killer. Acciari has one year left on his $2MM AAV contract.
  • Penguins’ rookie Ville Koivunen impressed in his late season call-up, and he expects to continue that success starting next season, per a team release. Koivunen appeared in the final eight games of the regular season and posted seven assists, including one in each of the final five games of the season. He added 55 points in 62 AHL games this year. He told reporters today that the final stretch of the season gives him the confidence to know that he can succeed in the NHL, as well as an understanding of what he needs to improve upon for next season. Koivunen was one of the key pieces the Penguins received in last season’s Jake Guentzel trade, and he serves as one of the club’s top forward prospects next to Rutger McGroarty, Vasili Ponomaryov, and Tanner Howe. The play of Koivunen and McGroarty down the stretch of the season caught the attention of captain Sidney Crosby, who told reporters today that their play was “definitely promising.” Crosby added that Koivunen and McGroarty’s energy and hunger creates healthy competition for the Pens moving forward.

Matt Grzelcyk Hoping To Stay With Penguins

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Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is in the midst of a career year and has made it clear that he is hoping to earn an extension with the Penguins to remain in Pittsburgh beyond this season (as per Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports). Grzelcyk is quoted as saying  “I would love to be here,” and adds that he hopes to leave a good impression in the final weeks of the season to get an extension for next year. Grzelcyk had some trouble adjusting to his new team in the early going but settled in later in the year, playing alongside Kris Letang.

The Penguins opted not to trade the 31-year-old at the NHL Trade Deadline, and the question for Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has now become, do they want to commit a few years to a small, aging defenseman who is coming off a career year? Grzelcyk should be able to fetch a raise on a multi-year deal this summer, and if it’s too rich for Penguins, the Charlestown, Massachusetts native will be relocating for a second straight summer.

Grzelcyk was a homegrown fan favorite in Boston and showed flashes of being an offensive defenseman. However, he never tallied more than 26 points in a season and didn’t have many opportunities to utilize his offensive skillset. This year, Grzelcyk has had an opportunity to do so and has capitalized on it, tallying a goal and 34 assists in 74 games while averaging 20:27 of ice time per game. His underlying numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, but given the Penguins’ lack of depth on the left side of their defense, he’s become a top-pair defender for the rest of the season.

Whether Grzelcyk stays in Pittsburgh remains to be seen, but he has made the most of his opportunity with the Penguins and has resurrected a career that was in limbo when he exited Boston last summer.

Penguins Should Look To Re-Sign Matt Grzelcyk

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Kelsey Surmacz of The Hockey News made the case that the Pittsburgh Penguins should re-sign pending UFA defenseman Matt Grzelcyk before he hits the market on July 1st. The veteran has been a good fit in Pittsburgh, and bringing him back on a short-term deal makes sense in a vacuum as the Penguins are very thin on the left side going forward. Grzelcyk has set career highs this season in multiple offensive categories, as the 31-year-old has a goal and 31 assists in 71 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career.

He’s become an important piece of the Penguins’ defense core, and the team opted to hang onto him rather than move him at the NHL Trade Deadline. Grzelcyk’s veteran presence has mentored some of Pittsburgh’s younger players and could be valuable during a re-tool. Surmacz believes that Pittsburgh should look at a one or two-year deal for Grzelcyk, which would make sense as the Penguins don’t look like they’ll be bottoming out, and they likely won’t be making any major additions over the next year. Many Penguins insiders believe that Pittsburgh hopes to contend for the playoffs again in the 2026-27 season, and while Grzelcyk shouldn’t be a top-four defenseman on a contending team, he could serve as valuable depth when the Penguins are ready to make a push.

While a short-term deal would suit Pittsburgh, it likely wouldn’t be Grzelcyk’s preferred outcome. The Charlestown, Massachusetts native has rebounded this season and could be looking at his last opportunity to cash in a lucrative contract. Playing under a one-year,  $2.75MM deal that he signed in free agency last summer, it’s not hard to imagine him receiving three-year offers this upcoming summer with an increased salary cap and very few options available.

Injury Notes: Kreider, Grzelcyk, Cooley

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Before today’s game against the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, the former announced a minor injury just before puck drop. The Rangers shared winger Chris Kreider is out with an upper-body injury although his recovery timeline is only considered day-to-day.

It’s difficult to pinpoint any specific moment for Kreider’s current injury. The veteran forward has been dealing with a recurrent back spasms issue for much of the regular season, while he could also be one of the several players to succumb to a minor injury throughout the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

Still, despite the specifics of the injury, Kreider did participate in the Rangers’ first game back from the tournament. Despite the team being completely outclassed by the Buffalo Sabres, Kreider scored one goal over 15 minutes in yesterday’s contest joining Mika Zibanejad as the only New York forward to not have a negative rating.

Other injury notes:

  • Hopping over to the other side of today’s Metropolitan Division tilt, the Penguins announced defenseman Matt Grzelcyk won’t return to the game due to an upper-body injury. The pending unrestricted free agent only skated in five minutes of today’s action before being hit from behind by Ranger forward Matt Rempe. Rempe was originally reprimanded with a five-minute major only to be downgraded to a two-minute minor call.
  • The Utah Hockey Club could be short-handed when they play their first home game in 19 days tonight. According to Brogan Houston of Deseret News Sports, Utah forward Logan Cooley is a game-time decision for this evening’s event. Cooley is confirmed to be dealing with a lower-body issue but it’s not severe enough to warrant a concrete absence from the lineup. The sophomore center is only one point away from tying his total production from last year scoring 15 goals and 43 points in 50 games.

East Notes: Byram, Grzelcyk, Lafreniere

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Between the pending jump in the salary cap over the next few seasons and the fact the Sabres are paying Owen Power $8.35MM, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News believes that blueliner Bowen Byram’s next contract could run past the $9MM range.  The 23-year-old has already matched his career high in points, notching 29 through Buffalo’s first 54 games.  He’s also averaging more than 23 minutes a night of playing time, a number that would also be a career-best if that holds up down the stretch.  Giving Byram that much would have the Sabres spending close to $30MM on their top three defenders but it would also give them plenty of upside at that position for a while.  Byram is a pending restricted free agent with salary arbitration eligibility this summer and will be owed a $4.62MM qualifying offer in late June.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • Earlier this month, the Penguins moved one of their pending unrestricted free agents on the back end when Marcus Pettersson was dealt to Vancouver. They still have another pending UFA blueliner in Matt Grzelcyk.  However, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the fact that Pettersson is gone and that Grzelcyk has had a bounce-back year could mean that Pittsburgh could consider keeping him around beyond this season if they don’t get a compelling offer for him by the trade deadline.  The 31-year-old has 28 points in 57 games and is averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time which is pretty good value on a one-year, $2.75MM contract signed last summer.
  • Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggests (subscription link) that the Rangers might want to consider trading winger Alexis Lafreniere, suggesting Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras as a possible target in a swap that wouldn’t be just one-for-one. Lafreniere got off to a solid start this season, earning himself a seven-year, $52.15MM extension in late October.  However, since the contract, he has just 25 points in 48 games, numbers that are decent while he’s still on his entry-level deal but expectations will be higher moving forward.  Brooks questions if the 23-year-old will be able to play to his full potential in New York, wondering if a swap of highly touted but underachieving young forwards might be the better way to go.

Metropolitan Notes: Grzelcyk, Roslovic, Smith, Pesce

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Matt Grzelcyk made a name for himself in the NHL while serving as Charlie McAvoy’s usual defense partner with the Bruins. The 30-year-old had great success in that role until last season, when his offensive production dipped to 11 points in 63 games, and his possession numbers were below average since the 2018-19 campaign.

Now looking to rediscover himself with the Penguins after inking a one-year, $2.75MM deal as an unrestricted free agent, Grzelcyk may get a similar top-pairing opportunity to open the season alongside Kris Letang, writes the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Seth Rorabaugh. The Massachusetts native has spent most of camp alongside the two-time Stanley Cup champ, who he called “such a great player.”

“I’m just trying to be a sponge around him,” Grzelcyk continued. “He has a ton of knowledge to give about the game and what he would expect from his partner. Just trying to learn here. And start to build chemistry.”

While cast as a stay-at-home partner for a more offensively well-rounded talent, Grzelcyk does have decent puck-moving skills in his own right. That was a common theme among the Penguins’ offseason additions, especially on defense, which also included former Islander Sebastian Aho.

There’s more from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Another free-agent signing looking to get a crack in a top-line complementary role is Jack Roslovic, who’s settling in on the Hurricanes’ first line alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, relays The Athletic’s Cory Lavalette. If it sticks, it would be quite the step up in responsibility for Roslovic, who’s been a middle-six fixture around the league for the past few seasons but has never held down a consistent top-line role. The 27-year-old signed a one-year, $2.75MM pact in Carolina in early July, and he’ll likely be used in different situations throughout the season as the Canes look to replace the offense lost by the departures of Jake Guentzel, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Stefan Noesen, and Teuvo Teräväinen.
  • The Athletic’s Arthur Staple is optimistic about Reilly Smith’s chances of clicking with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad as the Rangers’ top-line right wing. That’s been a revolving door for the past few years, with the aforementioned Roslovic getting a post-deadline crack at it last season. But Smith, 33, has a long history of success in complementary top-six roles – long enough to quell concerns about his underwhelming 13-goal, 40-point season with the Penguins last year, Staple opines.
  • The Devils will kick off their regular season without top offseason addition Brett Pesce. The defender didn’t make the trip to Prague for New Jersey’s Global Series games against the Sabres, the team’s Amanda Stein confirms. Pesce, 29, skated Friday for the first time in camp but is still listed as week-to-week while recovering from a fibula fracture he sustained in April while with the Hurricanes. He had 13 points and a +10 rating in 70 games with Carolina last year and signed a six-year, $33MM deal to serve as the Devils’ No. 2 right-shot option on defense behind Dougie Hamilton in free agency.

Afternoon Notes: Hyland, Giroux, Grzelcyk

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The Hershey Bears have signed Washington Capitals draft pick Brett Hyland to an AHL contract for the upcoming season (Twitter link). The 21-year-old was drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL entry draft (200th overall) and joined the Bears on an amateur tryout this past April.

The Edmonton Alberta native spent parts of five seasons in the WHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings after being taken 24th overall in the 2018 WHL draft. He tallied decent offensive numbers in his final few seasons with the Wheat Kings and found his goal-scoring in his final year, netting 32 goals in 66 games.

Hyland will be joining a Bears team that has won back-to-back Calder Cup championships.

In other afternoon notes:

  • Newly acquired Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk believes he will be in the mix to play in the Penguins top four defensive group next season (as per Seth Rorabaugh of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). Grzelcyk told the media that injuries severely limited his play last season as evidenced by his dramatic drop in offensive production and being a healthy scratch for the final stretch of Boston Bruins playoff games. The 30-year-old had just two goals and nine assists in 63 games last season after posting four consecutive seasons with 20 or more points. The Penguins signed the Charlestown, Massachusetts native to a one-year $2.75MM contract on July 1st and given the struggles of Ryan Graves, it is very possible that Grzelcyk could be playing on one of the Penguins’ top two defensive pairings with either Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson.
  • Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux joined the Coming In Hot Podcast and talked about his future with the Senators beyond the upcoming season. Giroux noted that he hasn’t spoken with the team or his family about a contract extension in Ottawa and hasn’t thought about it at this time. Giroux has one year left on the three-year deal he signed in 2022 and added that his focus is on having a strong season next year and helping Ottawa reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Giroux isn’t saying much but given the Senators’ lack of success, it makes sense for him to wait and see how the next year plays out before deciding to commit to the team long-term. Giroux is 36 years old and has yet to win a Stanley Cup, and while Ottawa is his home city, the chase for a championship could be something he considers with his next contract.

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