What the Penguins Can Really Do with Emil Pieniniemi's Contract After His Suspension
Photo credit: DK Pittsburgh Sports
Now that the Penguins have suspended Emil Pieniniemi for failing to report to the ECHL, some clarity has emerged on what the team can do with his contract.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have indefinitely suspended defenseman Emil Pieniniemi for failing to report to their ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers. The team confirmed on Monday that he was indeed suspended.
Pieniniemi, the third-round choice (No. 91 overall) in 2023, was sent back to Wheeling on Oct. 6 but instead returned home to Finland, an "impasse" that the organization subsequently announced. His agent, Lewis Gross, did not return calls for comment.
The 20-year-old was in the first draft class of Kyle Dubas with the Penguins and signed a three-year entry-level deal shortly after he was drafted.
Having spent part of the 2023-24 season with Kärpät in Finland's top league, Pieniniemi made his way to North America and accumulated 60 points (10 goals, 50 assists) in 60 games with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs last year.
He joined Pittsburgh's Prospect Challenge in September and was at NHL training camp, but did not appear on the ice in any of the preseason games.
The Penguins first sent him to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before sending him back down to Wheeling, hoping that he would play big minutes in a top-pairing position.
Pieniniemi obviously didn't care for that career path, opting to play at a higher level than the ECHL.
Pittsburgh can toll Emil Pieniniemi's contract if they want to retain his rights for an extra year before he hits free agency
Via email, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly explained that the Penguins have the option to "toll" Pieniniemi's contract, essentially pausing it for the year so that it delays him from getting to free agency by one year, but are not obligated to do so. As of now, it remains unclear whether Pittsburgh will take that step.
For the time being, both sides are at an impasse. Short of Pieniniemi returning or the Penguins officially tolling his contract, his future with the organization, and his re-entry to North American hockey, hangs in the balance.
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