Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins Place Former Second Round Pick on Waivers
Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed former second-round pick Matthew Nieto on waivers.
With just over a week to go before the NHL trade deadline, fans are eager to see teams make their final roster adjustments ahead of the playoffs.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will definitely be a team to follow closely. President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas has a plan to get the team back on track, as we saw with the pair of trades made in the past six weeks.
In breaking news, the Penguins made another move: they have placed 32-year-old forward Matthew Nieto on waivers.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared the news on X:
Nieto, drafted 47th overall in 2011 by the San Jose Sharks, has played in 704 NHL games since 2013 for the Penguins, Sharks, and Colorado Avalanche.
This season, the 5'11" forward has scored one goal and two assists in 31 games with the Penguins, playing around 12 minutes per game in a bottom-six role.
His two-year, $900,000 contract will expire at the end of the current season, making him an interesting player to grab for a team looking for short-term offensive depth in time for the playoffs.
This move came a day after the Penguins' tough 6-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers, their fourth straight loss.
The Penguins are now nine points behind the second Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, having lost significant ground over the past week. They have fallen to last place in their division, four points behind the Flyers and two behind the Islanders.
Another crucial game will go down tomorrow, in which the Penguins will hope to get revenge on the Flyers.
If they want to get back in the playoff race, winning divisional matchups will be key. They can't afford to lose another one.
![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Mitch Marner (16) warms up prior to the during the first periodau- during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/532771.webp "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Mitch Marner (16) warms up prior to the during the first periodau- during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images")
![Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward brandon Hagel (38) plays the puck and Team United States defenseman Charlie McAvoy (25) defends in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/532520.webp "Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward brandon Hagel (38) plays the puck and Team United States defenseman Charlie McAvoy (25) defends in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images")
![Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sam Bennett (9) and Team United States forward Brady Tkachuk (7) fight in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/532460.webp "Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sam Bennett (9) and Team United States forward Brady Tkachuk (7) fight in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images")
