The Penguins have re-signed pending restricted free agent forward prospect Kasper Bjorkqvist to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent upon completion of the contract.
A second-round pick (No. 61 overall) in 2016, Bjorkqvist, 24, is one of the team’s top prospects, admittedly in a limited pool of candidates.
A knee injury in 2019 and the pandemic have limited him to 11 American Hockey League (AHL) games over the past two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
During the 2020-21 campaign, with most leagues in North America on hiatus due to the pandemic, Bjorkqvist (6-foot-1, 198 pounds) was loaned to HPK of the Liiga, the top-tier league in his native Finland. In 44 games with HPK, Bjorkqvist had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists).
Bjorkqvist’s loan was terminated on April 25 and he re-joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In five AHL games, he scored one goal. On May 18, he was recalled to the NHL roster and served as a “Black Ace” during the postseason.
With Bjorkqvist’s signing, the Penguins have six remaining pending restricted free agents in forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Mark Jankowski, Sam Miletic, Radim Zohorna, defensman Jesper Lindgren and goaltender Emil Larmi.
The Penguins have already told Jankowski he will not receive a qualifying offer and will be allowed to become an unrestricted free agent. Larmi has signed with the Lahden Pelicans of the Liiga.
