Penguins sign former first-round pick to two-way deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed former first-round pick Colin White to a one-year, two-way contract, a team release states. The contract carries an NHL cap hit and salary of $775K and a minors salary of $500K, reports PuckPedia.

White, 26, had been in Penguins camp on a professional tryout signed nearly one month ago. Three others remain in Penguins camp on PTOs without a contract — defenseman Libor Hájek, defenseman Mark Pysyk (who sustained an injury during camp) and forward Austin Wagner.

Selected 21st overall in 2015 by the Ottawa Senators, White’s tenure in Canada’s capital came to an end last summer when the Senators bought out the final three seasons of a six-year, $28.5M contract he’d signed in 2019. He found a home on the Florida Panthers’ fourth line in 2022-23, skating in all 21 playoff games as they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996. 

Injuries have thrown White’s career off-course since he posted 41 points in 71 games as a 22-year-old rookie in the 2018-19 campaign, finishing 11th in Calder Trophy voting and earning himself the now ill-advised payday on behalf of the Sens. 

Even when healthy, he hasn’t been able to manage the same production — he’s registered just 28 goals and 66 points in the 198 games since and averaged under 10 minutes per game with Florida last season.

It’s likely the Penguins will waive White before Monday when opening night rosters are due. However, a league-minimum salary and, evidently, a strong showing in camp keeps his chances of a call-up high. 

He also earned a longer stay in camp than some other Penguins’ depth pieces competing for jobs, namely Alexander Nylander and Rem Pitlick, who both cleared waivers and were assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earlier this week.