Kyle Dubas signs ANOTHER former Maple Leaf to Pittsburgh

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Cooper Godin
May 22, 2024 (7:53)

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Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas is continuing to put his own fingerprints on the roster after taking over the role last summer and is looking to take the team back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Dubas may have left Toronto after the 2022-23 season, but he's brought a couple of former Maple Leafs to the Penguins in the 11+ months since his hiring. On July 1st, he signed Noel Acciari to a three-year deal, and then brought in Michael Bunting via a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, Dubas has decided to bring in yet another former Toronto Maple Leaf to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2023-24 season.

In a post on social media on Tuesday, Penguins announced that they've agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $775,000 with unrestricted free agent defenceman Filip Kral.

"The Penguins have signed defenseman Filip Kral to a one-year contract.

The contract runs through the 2024.25 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level."

Kral, 24, was one of Kyle Dubas' first draft picks as General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, selecting him 149th overall just one month after taking over the role from Lou Lamoriello. Kral appeared in two games for the Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 season before heading overseas to Finland.

In 46 games for the Lahti Pelicans of Finland's top division, Liiga, Kral put up 37 points (five goals, 32 assists), ten penalty minutes and was a plus-28. He went on to add eight points in 17 playoff games as the Lahti Pelicans finished runners-up for the second year in a row.

It'll be interesting to see how Filip Kral is utilized during training camp and if he'll have an opportunity to make the Penguins' opening night roster. Given his strong season in 2023-24, he could have a good shot at winning a role on the third pairing, however, it's still too early to tell. Regardless, Kral will get into games with the Penguins at some point during the 2024-25 campaign.