As we claw our way to September, players are slowly making their way back onto the ice, and the hockey season is set to kick back up.
However, even with the 2024-25 season yet to start, I would like to take a look at an interesting storyline to watch for this season.
On July 1, the Penguins signed defenseman Mac Hollowell and forward Jimmy Huntington, to one-year, $775,000 contracts. The two players are merely depth pieces for the Pens incase several injuries occur, but there is a reason to not count them out of getting a decent amount of playing time this season.
Both of these players are considered Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agents for the 2024-25 season. By definition, per PuckPedia, is that “A player becomes a Group 6 UFA if they are 25, completed 3 or more professional seasons, has a contract expiring, and has played less than 80 NHL Games”.
Hollowell, 25, would need to play in 74 of the Penguins 82 games this season to become a regular, or “Group 3” UFA. He has six games of NHL experience with the Toronto Maple Leafs that came in the 2022-23 season, in which he put up two assists. He was drafted by the Leafs 118th overall in the 4th Round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He was in the Leafs organization for four years, until he signed with the New York Rangers on July 2, 2023. In one season in their AHL organization, the Hartford Wolf Pack, Hollowell had three goals and 44 points in 64 games, being named an AHL All-Star.
Huntington, 26, has never played an NHL game after being signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 1, 2019. He spent about two and a half seasons with the Lightning organization before being traded to the Nashville Predators on February 1, 2022. He spent one and a half seasons with Nashville before signing an AHL deal with the Hershey Bears on July 18, 2023. After putting up 16 goals and 33 points in 67 regular season games, and five goals and 14 points in 20 playoff games en route to Hershey’s second consecutive Calder Cup, he signed with the Penguins on July 1.
Both of these players will look to fight for a full-time roster spot in training camp as an effort to hit that 80 game mark this season. If not, look for them to be likely call-ups if needed.
