The Pittsburgh Penguins have made plenty of new additions to their roster this off-season. Among their free-agent signings was forward Justin Brazeau, as the Penguins signed him to a two-year, $3 million contract on July 1.

The Penguins' decision to bring in Brazeau is not too difficult to understand. It is no secret that they needed more size and secondary scoring in their bottom six, and Brazeau should provide them with just that. 

After earning his first NHL contract with the Boston Bruins during the 2023-24 season, Brazeau recorded five goals, seven assists, 43 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 19 games with the Original Six club. Brazeau then posted 11 goals, 11 assists, 22 points, and 123 hits this past season split between the Bruins and Minnesota Wild. With numbers like these, Brazeau has demonstrated that he can be a solid secondary scorer and provide plenty of grit. Thus, he should be a nice fit on a Penguins team that needs more of that. 

Furthermore, when noting that Brazeau is only entering his third NHL season, the possibility of him improving further is certainly there. He should get plenty of chances to succeed on the Penguins, and it will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with the Metropolitan Division club from here. 

Penguins Forward Could Become Popular Trade TargetIt is no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins are open to making trades right now as they continue to retool their roster. Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, and Rickard Rakell are three notable names who have been discussed heavily in the rumor mill this off-season. However, with the Penguins willing to make changes, it is fair to wonder if some of their depth players could end up moved, whether that is during the summer or the season. 

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