The NHL’s deadline of 5 p.m. Sunday for issuing qualifying offers has come and passed, meaning a handful of Pittsburgh Penguins players are set to become unrestricted free agents when the league’s free agent signing period begins Monday at noon.
Photo: AP
Most prominent among that group of players is 24-year-old defenseman P.O Joseph.
Forwards Emil Bemstrom and Corey Andonovski were similarly non-tendered.
Forwards Maxim Cajkovic and Dillon Hamaliuk also did not receive offers and will be allowed to become unrestricted free agents.
Joseph finished the 2023-24 season on the team’s top defensive pairing with Kris Letang. In 52 games last season, the left-handed Joseph had 11 points (two goals, nine assists) while averaging 15 minutes, 5 seconds of ice time per contest.
He is in the final year of a two-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $825,000.
While Joseph was not issued a qualifying offer, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reported that talks were going on with the Penguins about a potential extension.
Bemstrom joined the Penguins via a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 22. Appearing in 24 games with the Penguins, Bemstrom totaled five points (three goals, two assists) while averaging 8:46 of ice time.
The 25-year-old Bemstrom is completing the final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $900,000.
Andonovski spent all of last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. In 63 games, he scored 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists).
An undrafted free agent signing in 2022, Andonovski is completing the second year of a two-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $925,000.
Cajkovic was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild in January and split time between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Wheeling of the ECHL
Primarily assigned to Wheeling, Cajkovic appeared in 13 games for that team. On April 10, Cajkovic was loaned to the Slovakian national team.
The 23-year-old is in the final year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $850,833.
Hamaliuk was part of the blockbuster trade in August with the San Jose Sharks that brought All-Star defenseman Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh.
The 23-year-old split the 2023-24 season between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Wheeling. In 36 games with Wheeling, Hamaliuk posted 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) and was selected to the ECHL’s All-Star Classic.
Hamaliuk is completing the final year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $789,167.
