Last offseason, the Penguins decided to sign Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year deal so he could prove his worth and likely get flipped at the trade deadline for assets since the Penguins knew they were not a playoff team. But fast forward and Grzelcyk was not flipped at the deadline and was kept and finished out the season with the Penguins.
Grzelcyk was on a one-year deal that paid him 2.75 million but now he is looking for an upgrade from that and looking to get paid a bit more. In a DailyFaceoff article about the top 50 free agents, it has Grzelcyk earning a 3-year 3.8 million AAV deal on the open market.
Grzelcyk had 40 points in 82 games this past season, but if that is the contract he is seeking, the Penguins should move on and let him sign elsewhere.
Grzelcyk was a good powerplay quarterback but was not useful for much else
As previously stated, Grzelcyk was on a prove-it deal and likely knew he had a good chance of being dealt to a contender at the trade deadline but that did not happen.
The good he provided was being the quarterback of the second powerplay unit when the Penguins could get it set up, but he did not do much else outside of that.
He did not provide much defense as opponents used to go right around him and make him look silly when he tried to backcheck and looked a bit worn down as the season went on.
Resigning Grzelcyk blocks the younger guys which is not a good thing
If the Penguins choose to resign Grzelcyk, all that does is block younger guys like Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke from getting full-time roster spots with the Penguins next season.
Yes Grzelcyk's 40 points this past season was nice and all but the Penguins need the younger guys to come in and make an impact in this upcoming season and not be blocked by an older vet who could fit better somewhere else.
The Penguins should let a contender like the Stars or someone else pay Grzelcyk that contract if that is the amount he is seeking, cut their losses, and bring up the younger guys instead.