Penguins Sit at 39 Contracts, Potentially 47, After Adding 12 Players

Q: Is acquiring Nicholas Robertson the first step in a plan to lure his superstar brother, Jason, to Pittsburgh?

There is no evidence that acquiring Nicholas Robertson was the first step in a deliberate plan to lure Jason Robertson to Pittsburgh. What is supported by the reporting is much narrower. Pittsburgh did trade for Nicholas Robertson, and the move fits Kyle Dubas’s established pattern: targeting players in their mid-20s with upside, strong underlying numbers, and modest acquisition cost. Nicholas checks those boxes as a low-risk bet on a winger who has produced efficiently in limited minutes and could benefit from a larger role. Separately, there is credible reporting that Dubas has strong interest in Jason Robertson. Jason is an elite scorer, a pending 2027 unrestricted free agent, and the kind of impact player Pittsburgh would covet if Dallas ever made him available. But the available reporting does not connect the two moves in any concrete way. No sourced account says the Penguins acquired Nicholas to influence Jason, and no indication has emerged that Jason’s future plans hinge on his brother’s team. So the idea is plausible as fan speculation, not established fact. If Pittsburgh eventually pursues Jason Robertson, the real drivers would be cap flexibility, trade assets, Dallas’s willingness to deal, and Jason’s own contract situation—not simply the presence of his brother on the roster. At this point, Nicholas Robertson looks like a standalone hockey move, while any Jason Robertson scenario remains speculative and, by some accounts, a long shot.

3 articles · Updated · PensBurgh · Jul 2

Pittsburgh’s post-free-agency roster math leaves it at 39 signed contracts on PuckPedia, though the practical total could rise to 47 once key restricted free agents are counted.
12 additions for 2026-27 — seven forwards, four defensemen and one goalie — were offset by 14 departures, letting the Penguins stay below the NHL’s 50-contract ceiling after a busy trade and free-agency stretch.
New arrivals include free agents Andrei Kuzmenko, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Declan Carlile, traded-in players Kaeden Korczak, Oliver Okuliar and David Gustafsson, plus entry-level contracts starting for four prospects.
14 exits included Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Ryan Shea and Stuart Skinner, while Alexander Alexeyev came off the count after signing in the KHL even though Pittsburgh retains his NHL rights.
46 to 49 contracts is typically the preferred operating range, so Pittsburgh still has room for a few more moves, though that flexibility would tighten quickly without sending contracts out.