Penguins roster drops to 51 players with PTO cut

The Penguins’ lone PTO signing, Nikolai Knyzhov, was cut from the 52-man roster on Saturday.

The Penguins announced on Friday that they had released defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov from his professional tryout contract.

Knyzhov, whose signing was announced just over a month prior, was the only player the Penguins brought to training camp on a PTO deal. He did not appear in either of the Penguins’ preseason-opening losses to the Buffalo Sabres.

Knyzhov had prior experience skating alongside Erik Karlsson during the 2020-21 season in San Jose, where he was originally signed by Penguins executive and former Sharks general manager Doug Wilson in 2019.

He recently told Justin Guerriero of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Wilson had promised him “a fair look and a fair shot” during the PTO.

The 26-year-old undrafted defenseman, who was signed out of the KHL, spent most of last season in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda.

Knyzhov was called up for 10 games in the big leagues, where he skated about 17 minutes per night when available.

In total Knyzhov has made 81 NHL appearances over four seasons with the Sharks organization. Those campaigns have been in large part limited by injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2022.

He recorded three goals and nine assists for 12 career points for the Sharks before he was placed on unconditional waivers and bought out in June.

Knyzhov had a tough path to a permanent contract in the Penguins’ organization given his status as a left-shooting defenseman like Marcus Pettersson, Ryan Shea, John Ludvig, Matt Grzelcyk, Ryan Graves and Sebastian Aho, among others.

Now that his battle for a deal in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is over, Knyzhov will likely continue seeking a two-way contract elsewhere as he hopes to advance his career with a healthy 2024-25 season.

The end of Knyzhov’s PTO meanwhile cuts the Penguins’ roster down to 51 players after 14 players were sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton training camp on Thursday.

Previous cuts impacted forwards Raivis Ansons, Jack Beck, Atley Calvert, Mathieu De St. Phalle, Sam Houde, Gabe Klassen, Bennett MacArthur and Logan Pietila; defensemen Isaac Belliveau, Scooter Brickey, Justin Lee, Mats Lindgren and Philip Waugh; and goaltender Luke Richardson.

The Penguins are set for several more rounds of cuts as the team prepares to get under the 23-man limit for the regular season.