3 Pittsburgh Penguins Not Expected Back in 2023-24

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in the thick of the Stanley Cup Playoff race in the Eastern Conference this season. General manager Ron Hextall added a few pieces ahead of the trade deadline to try and give his team the best chance to win the Cup. While changes happened in season, look for some more changes to come this upcoming offseason for the Penguins. Here's a few players not expected back:

Brian Dumoulin

It's been a rough season for the veteran defenseman as Brian Dumoulin has been all over Mike Sullivan's lineup. With Pittsburgh having 8 NHL defensemen signed for next season, expect to see Hextall let Dumoulin walk. The only chance he has to be re-signed is if he takes a massive pay cut from his $4 million annual salary. In 63 games this season, the 31-year-old blueliner has recorded 15 points and with all his postseason experience, Dumoulin will have some interest on the free-agent market this summer.

Jeff Carter

Someone who has quickly become a buy out candidate this summer, Jeff Carter has been very inconsistent this season in Pittsburgh. The veteran forward is 38 years old and next season is due $3.1 million in the final year of his contract. With only nine goals in 60 games in 2022-23, if his Stanley Cup Playoffs impact is minimal, look for Hextall to move on this offseason.

Danton Heinen

Someone who was a forgotten piece by the Penguins, then they decided to re-sign him last minute, Danton Heinen isn't expected back in 2023-24. He's appeared in 48 games this season, recording 18 points and has been a part of a very inconsistent bottom-six group in Pittsburgh. Look for management to make changes this summer and some more sandpaper and grit be brought in to help the bottom two lines.

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