- Penguins sign Hendrix Lapierre to a two-year deal worth $1.3 million per season
- The 24-year-old forward came over from Washington in a June trade for two picks
- Read below for the AHL pedigree Lapierre brings to Pittsburgh’s middle six
Hendrix Lapierre has his next contract, and it’s in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins signed the 24-year-old forward to a two-year deal on Thursday, GM Kyle Dubas announced. It carries a $1.3 million average annual value and runs through the 2027-28 season.
Here’s the word straight from the team:
Lapierre landed in town last week. The Penguins acquired him from the Capitals on June 25 for third- and fifth-round picks, a cheap bet on a former first-rounder who never quite locked down a spot in Washington.
He spent all of last season with the Caps, putting up four goals and 12 assists in 74 games. The scoring stayed modest, but he handled bottom-six minutes and chipped in on the penalty kill.
There’s more in the resume than that NHL line shows. Lapierre owns two Calder Cups with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, going back-to-back in 2023 and 2024. He racked up 79 points in 113 regular-season games down there and added another 31 in 48 playoff games.
Familiarity helps, too. Penguins assistant Todd Nelson coached those Hershey teams to their titles, so Lapierre walks into a staff that already knows exactly what he can do.
Washington drafted him 22nd overall in 2020. His career high came in 2023-24, when he posted 22 points in 51 games. He’s a 6-foot, 195-pound center who can slide up and down a lineup as needed.
For $1.3 million, Dubas grabs a 24-year-old with playoff pedigree and room to climb the depth chart. A rebuilding Pittsburgh team can use plenty of low-risk swings like this one.
