Pittsburgh Penguins: 3 players who won't be back next season

Pittsburgh Penguins: 3 players who won’t be back next season

Jan 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) is congratulated by defenseman Kris Letang (58) after scoring a goal in the second period against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports /

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May 9, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jason Zucker (16) carries the puck against New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière (13) during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Penguins who won’t be back: Jason Zucker

Zucker is the last player on our list who is likely to find a new team due to his massive cap hit and inefficiency since he arrived in Pittsburgh.

Zucker only netted 19 points during the 2021-2022 season and played on the Penguins third line along with Heinen and Jeff Carter. He arrived in Pittsburgh through a trade with the Wild at the start of 2021 and he’s been a major disappointment since his arrival.

The Penguins are spending $5.5 million on Zucker next year and he will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. The team would benefit from trading Zucker and spending the money to sign some of their stars this offseason.

Zucker is expensive and easily replaceable. He only played in half of the teams games this season and hasn’t completed a whole season since Minnesota. Zucker won’t be missed in Pittsburgh.

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