Noel Acciari's one player who'll give a playoff-caliber team value if the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves too far out of contention come March 2026. Playing primarily lower-line minutes, Acciari brings a defensive mindset to the center position, something we saw when he landed 180 hits in 2024-25 to go with 100 blocked shots.
Yeah, his minus-25 rating might make some fans think differently, but Acciari's generally seen an on-ice save percentage well into the 90-percent range at even strength through most of his career. That's a phenomenal number, and it gets even better when you consider he spends most of his time taking defensive-zone faceoffs.
It was the case last year when he took nearly 600 face-offs, winning 321, or 53.7 percent, of them. That's the kind of reliablility he'll bring back to the Penguins in what's the last season of his contract, and most likely his last in the Steel City, regardless if he's a late-season trade.
Noel Acciari's gonna keep up serviceable play for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Should the Pens defy expectations and look good out of the gate, Acciari's role in winning faceoffs and starting sequences will give the Pens more opportunities to get their scorers involved. That, plus the intimidation factor, will lead to Acciari making a larger impact than his lack of basic offensive productivity would indicate.
Last season, he put up just 12 points and five goals in 79 games, and those fringe numbers are fine if Sidney Crosby's capitalizing and inching closer to a couple more of Mario Lemieux's records. Sure, it's a big 'if' right now, since there's a strong likelihood the Penguins host a fire sale early, but you can't write anyone off in September.
Should the Pens downward spiral continue this season, Acciari could warrant more trade value despite marginal production in the offensive zone. Some of the better teams out there will need defensive-first forwards who can show versatility and play center or wing.
Add in Acciari's physical nature and the fact he can consistently win draws, and someone looking for a gritty player's going to overpay for him. That can help the Penguins in an upcoming draft, or if they get a prospect for him, someone who could step in within the next season or two.
Overall, Acciari's numbers might not show you much, but don't underestimate his impact. Even if he may not wear black and gold at the end of the season, the team may still feel that impact in the player/pick they could acquire in a potential trade.