2022 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have only missed the playoffs three times in qualifying seasons since 1999 (inaugural season). In 2021-22, they continued that tradition of postseason appearances. The Baby Pens finished fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 35-33-8 record, 78 points, and a .513 points percentage. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton needed all three games of the first round series against Hershey, but the Penguins got it done after winning Game 3 with a 4-3 OT nail-biter. WBS then got swept in the divisional semifinals (three games to none) by the eventual Eastern Conference Champion, Springfield.

Right winger Valtteri Puustinen led the team in both goals (20) and total points (42). In his first full AHL season, defenseman Juuso Riikola was the team leader in assists (34). Three goaltenders posted 20+ games in net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. The trio of Tommy Nappier (13-10-2 in 25 GP, 2.87 goals against average, .897 save percentage, one shutout), Louis Domingue (10-9-2 in 22 GP, 2.41 GAA, .924 SV%), and Alex D’Orio (7-10-4 in 22 GP, 2.91 GAA, .894) split the majority of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 76-game schedule in 2021-22.

(List accurate as of October 24th at 12:00am ET)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Jonathan Gruden – Last year of entry-level contract
• Filip Hållander – Last year of entry-level contract*
• Nathan Légaré – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Samuel Poulin – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Valtteri Puustinen – Last year of entry-level contract
• Radim Zohorna – Last year of standard, one-way NHL contract
• Jamie Devane – Signed a one-year AHL contract extension on February 3
• Samuel Houde – Signed a one-year AHL contract extension on March 8
• Corey Andonovski – Signed a two-year, entry-level contract on March 10
• Drew O’Connor – Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract extension on March 12 (waivers exempt)
• Ty Glover – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on March 29
• Lukas Svejkovsky – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on April 5
• Alex Nylander – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract extension on July 11
• Kyle Olson – Signed a one-year AHL contract extension on July 11

Defensemen

• Christopher Merisier-Ortiz – Last year of AHL contract
• Colin Swoyer – Signed three-year, entry-level contract on March 28
• Pierre-Olivier Joseph – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract on July 12
• Taylor Fedun – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on May 25
• Mitch Reinke – Signed a one-year AHL contract extension on July 15

Goaltenders

• Filip Lindberg – Last year of entry-level contract
• Tommy Nappier – Last year of AHL contract

* – Contract includes European Assignment Clause, detailed in Article 11 – 11.19 of the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement — “The SPC of any Player may contain a clause that provides that, in the event his NHL Club Loans the Player to a club outside the NHL, during the period of such Loan, the Player shall have the option to be Loaned to a club of his choice outside North America.”

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Jordan Frasca – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on March 1 (played with the Kingston Frontenacs in 2021-22)
• Raivis Ansons – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on May 2 (played for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL in 2021-22)
• Brooklyn Kalmikov – Signed a one-year AHL contract on May 17 (played for the Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL in 2021-22)
• Drake Caggiula – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 13 (played with Buffalo in 2021-22)
• Tyler Sikura – Signed a one-year AHL contract on October 3 (played with Cleveland in 2021-22)

Defensemen

• Clay Hanus – Signed a one-year AHL contract on June 13 (played for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL in 2021-22)
• Jon Lizotte – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 15 (played for Minnesota and the Iowa Wild in 2021-22)
• Xavier Ouellet – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 13 (played for the Laval Rocket in 2021-22)

Goaltenders

• Taylor Gauthier – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on March 1 (played for the Prince George Cougars & Portland Winterhawks in 2021-22)
• Dustin Tokarski – Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract on July 13 (played for Buffalo in 2021-22)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Kasper Bjorkqvist – Signed a two-year contract with Karpat of Liiga on June 28 (was extended qualifying offer by Pittsburgh on July 11)
• Félix Robert – Signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Tampa Bay on July 13
• Anthony Angello – Signed a one-year, two-way contract with St. Louis on July 14
• Jordy Bellerive – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Lehigh Valley on August 22
• Michael Chaput – Signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the KHL on September 25
• Jan Drozg – Signed a one-year contract with Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL on October 20

Defensemen

• Juuso Riikola – Signed with IK Oskarshamn of the SHL on May 25
• Cam Lee – Signed with Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL on August 1
• Matt Bartkowski – Signed a PTO with the New York Rangers on September 19; released from PTO on October 11
• Will Reilly – Signed PTO with Tucson on October 3

Goaltenders

• Louis Domingue – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract with the New York Rangers on July 13
• Alex D’Orio – Signed a one-year contract with IF Björklöven of HockeyAllsvenskan on September 2

FREE AGENTS

Forwards

• Justin Almeida – UFA (was not extended qualifying offer on July 11)

(Special thanks to CapFriendly and Elite Prospects for all the contract terms and definitions for this offseason player tracker!)

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Other 2022 AHL Off Season Trackers :

Pacific

• Abbotsford Canucks

• Bakersfield Condors

• Calgary Wranglers

• Coachella Valley Firebirds

• Colorado Eagles

• Henderson Silver Knights

• Ontario Reign

• San Diego Gulls

• San Jose Barracuda

• Tucson Roadrunners

 

Central

• Chicago Wolves

• Grand Rapids Griffins

• Iowa Wild

• Manitoba Moose

• Milwaukee Admirals

• Rockford IceHogs

• Texas Stars

 

North

• Belleville Senators

• Cleveland Monsters

• Laval Rocket

• Rochester Americans

• Syracuse Crunch

• Toronto Marlies

• Utica Comets

 

Atlantic

• Bridgeport Islanders

• Charlotte Checkers

• Hartford Wolf Pack

• Hershey Bears

• Lehigh Valley Phantoms

• Providence Bruins

• Springfield Thunderbirds
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins