Liam Gorman
2022-23: Princeton University (NCAA) 25 GP, 12 G, 9 A
Traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for a sixth round pick at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft used to acquire Nolan Collins, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to move on from 2018 sixth round pick Liam Gorman after producing only four goals and 12 points in 59 NCAA games at Princeton University over the past three seasons. Gorman, however, finally broke out for the Tigers in 2022-23, leading the team with 12 goals and ranking second with 21 points in 25 games. With pretty good size at 6’3″, 199 lbs., perhaps Gorman turns into a late bloomer, but the Penguins likely made the right decision at the time and essentially replaced the project forward with a project defenseman.
Clayton Phillips
2022-23: Savannah Ghost Pirates/Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) 41 GP, 2 G, 5 A
A third round pick in 2017, Phillips appeared to be on the right trajectory after putting up 20 points in 56 games with the Fargo Force in the USHL and committed to the University of Minnesota. Things started to go off track a bit after joining the Golden Gophers half a season early and ultimately transferred to Penn State University after posting 10 points in 34 games as a sophomore. Phillips managed 28 points in 79 games with the Nittany Lions over the next three seasons, and the Penguins opted not to offer the blueliner a contract. Phillips signed with the Savannah Ghost Pirates in the ECHL for the 2022-23 season and joined the Iowa Hearlanders in January after a trade. Phillips boasts only seven points in 41 ECHL games and appears to be a bit of a bust and current Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson being taken only six pick later makes adds a bit of insult to injury.
Niclas Almari
2022-23: Lukko (Liiga) 53 GP, 4 G, 16 A
The Penguins finally cut ties with longtime prospect Niclas Almari after nearly six years with the organization. Almari dealt with injury after being drafted and never cracked the lineup in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a regular basis. The Penguins released the former fifth round pick to Lukko in the Finnish Liiga partway through last season. Almari boasts decent numbers with Lukko in 2022-23, ranking third among blueliners on the team with 20 points in 53 games.
Jordy Bellerive
2022-23: Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) 43 GP 6 G, 12 A
Signed out of the WHL after going undrafted, Jordy Bellerive looked promising with 12 goals and 22 points in 53 games as a rookie with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2019-20 and 10 goals and 18 points in only 29 games in the COVID shortened 2020-21 season, and appeared to try to carving out a path to the NHL as a fighter last season in the AHL, leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and finishing 17th in the league with 112 penalty minutes. Now with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Bellerive ranks ninth on the team with 18 points in 43 games.
Cam Lee
2022-23: Amur Khabarovsk (KHL) 53 GP, 7 G, 13 A
Signed out of the NCAA in 2020, like Bellerive, Lee showed some promise with 15 points in 31 games as a rookie, but production sputtered last season with 19 points in 61 games. Lee opted for the KHL for 2022-23 and so far boasts 20 points in 53 games with Amur Khabarovsk, leading bluelienrs on the team.
Will Reilly
2022-23: Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL) 12 GP, 0 G, 2 A
Taken with the final pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, 217th overall, Will Reilly tapped out as AHL depth, producing 11 points in 66 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over two seasons and six points in three appearances with the Wheeling Nailers. The Penguins opted not to extend Reilly and the blueliner signed with the Tuscon Roadrunners in the AHL for 2022-23. Really continues to serve the role of depth AHL defenseman and carries only two assists in 12 games in 2023.
Felix Robert*
2022-23: Syracuse Crunch (AHL) 30 GP, 12 G, 9 A
Though a bit undersized, Felix Robert finished fourth in the QMJHL with 92 points in 2019-20 and second with a 2.00 points per game average playing alongside current Pittsburgh Penguins forward Samuel Poulin on the Sherbrooke Phoenix and signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Robert finished third on the team last season with 16 goals and fourth with 34 points in 63 games, earning a contract from the Tampa Bay Lightning for 2022-23 and ranks ninth on the Syracuse Crunch with 21 points in 30 games.
Radim Zohorna
2022-23: Calgary Wranglers (AHL) 33 GP, 9 G, 13 A
Thought to be in competition for a bottom six spot in Pittsburgh in 2022-23, the Calgary Flames claimed Radim Zohorna after the Penguins opted to demote the Czech forward to the AHL before the start of the season. In two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Zohorna managed 15 goals and 32 points in 51 games, and appeared in 25 NHL games, posting 10 points. 22 points in 33 games.
Justin Almeida
2022-23: Unknown
Finishing third in the WHL with 11 points and leading the league with a 1.73 points per game average a year after being drafted in the fifth round, Justin Almeida never caught on with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and spent the majority of three seasons with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, ultimately putting up 79 points in 90 games, including 63 in 53 last season.
Alex D’Orio
2022-23: IF Bjorkloven (HockeyAllesvenskan) 22 GP, 11-8-0, 2.45 GAA, .910 SV%
D’Orio posted okay numbers on a very bad Saint John Sea Dogs team over parts of three seasons, and the Penguins opted to move on from the netminder after three seasons of goals against averages hovering around 3.00 and sub-.900 save percentages. D’Orio signed in the second tier of professional hockey in Sweden and splitting time posted a 11-8-0 record with a 2.45 goals against average and .910 save percentage.
Jan Drozg
2022-23: Amur Khabarovsk (KHL) 38 GP, 8 G, 12 A
Jan Drozg, a 2017 fifth round pick, struggled defensively at times and never regularly dressed in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. After parts of three seasons, the Penguins ultimately loaned the Slovenian native to the Grand Rapids Griffins last year and opted not to offer a contract extension at the end of the season. Drozg currently reanks fifth on the team with 20 points in 38 games.
Calle Clang
2022-23: Rogle BK (SHL), 7 GP, 2-5-0, 2.91 GAA, .890 SV%
The Penguins likely needed to decided between 2020 second round pick Joel Blomqvist and 2020 third round pick Calle Clang to send to the Anaheim Ducks as part of the Rickard Rakell trade. The Penguins opted to move Clang after the Swedish goaltender posted decent numbers with a 10-5-0 record, 2.28 goals against average and .915 save percentage with Rogle BK–the top team in the Swedish SHL last season. On a slightly below average 2022-23 team, Clang boasta 11-8-0 record with a 2.59 goals against average and .901 save percentage–regressing from last season.