The Pittsburgh Penguins have added defensemen Mark Pysyk and Libor Hájek, as well as forward Austin Wagner, to professional tryout contracts, potentially adding some depth to the organization if any of them can impress. 

Signing players to PTOs was something Dubas did quite often while in charge of Toronto. Last season, Dubas signed former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese to a professional tryout, where he ultimately earned a contract and spot in the Maple Leafs lineup. 

Mark Pysyk has most recently played for the Buffalo Sabres, appearing in 68 games for the Sabres during the 2021-22 season. The right-hand shot defenseman put up 12 points in those games, and was a stabilizing veteran presence for a young Buffalo blueline. 

Pysyk is probably better known, however, for his several seasons in Florida, where he played the bulk of his NHL career. Pysyk spent four seasons with the Panthers, playing 292 total games with the team. 

Perhaps his most impressive moment in Florida was during the 2019-20, when Pysyk was forced to play as a forward to balance out the Panthers lineup. In that game, he scored a hat trick and led Florida to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The former 2010 first round pick had signed an $800K deal with the Detroit Red Wings last offseason, but he would never play a game in Detroit. Pysyk suffered an Achilles injury that kept him out the entire season. 

Now, at age 31, Pysyk is looking to get back into the NHL. Noted for his defense-first style of play and a great knowledge of how to protect his own zone, Pysyk has in all 521 games of NHL experience, and a reputation as an underrated, third-pairing defensive defenseman. 

Libor Hájek, 25, is also joining the mass of defensive depth on a professional tryout. A former second round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Hájek never actually played a game at any level for the Lightning organization. Instead, he was part of the package sent to the New York Rangers in the trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller to Tampa Bay. 

Since then, Hájek has split the past five seasons back and forth between the NHL and AHL. His NHL work has been largely underwhelming, often the reasoning used to send him back to the AHL when needed. 

He’s played 110 games in the NHL since the start of the 2018-19 season, and has spent exactly the same amount of games in the AHL for the Hartford Wolf Pack. 

At just 25 years old, Hájek is a great candidate for a chance of scenery being all he needs to bounce back from what has been a very rough last few seasons in New York. 

Of course, for either Pysyk and Hájek, the battle for a potential contract will be fierce. They were not the only depth defenseman Pittsburgh currently has on the roster, and it’s not even close. 

Mark Friedman, Chad Ruhwedel, Ty Smith, and Will Butcher are also all here, and are all looking for NHL jobs and perhaps some more contract stability. 

Much like at the forward position, there are open spots in the lineup, part of Kyle Dubas’s masterful overhaul of a deeply flawed Penguins roster when he took over the job in June. But both Pysyk and Hájek will have to stand out amongst the masses in training camp and preseason. 

But maybe more importantly, they will have to stand out from each other. Pysyk provides veteran experience, while Hájek provides some youth. Pysyk is more well-known for solid play, while Hájek has more potential to grow, given his age. 

As for forward Austin Wagner, he will have some competition as well. The 26 year old Wagner has 178 games of NHL experience, but only 7 of those games have come since the 2021-22 season. All 7 were with Chicago last year.

The Calgary native is better known for his time as a depth forward with the Los Angeles Kings. There, he put up a career high 21 points during the 2018-19 season. Since then, his highest total has been 11.

He’s a gritty checking forward who will be looking to break his way into a job with the Penguins. Like Pysyk and Hájek, Wagner will face competition from all angles, as the Penguins have several depth forwards signed whop are all fighting to secure a role either in the bottom-six, or as the team’s 13th forward.

(Featured photo of Mark Pysyk by Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)