The Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins made moves ahead of the RFA qualifying offer deadline, with Pittsburgh retaining rights to all seven of its restricted free agents by extending qualifying offers to each. Boston, meanwhile, issued offers to only four of its seven RFAs, a more selective approach that leaves three players unsigned.
For the Penguins, the list includes forward Egor Chinakhov, as confirmed by the team's formal announcement. This marks a shift from recent seasons when Pittsburgh allowed some RFA rights to lapse. The Bruins extended offers to Luke Cavallin, Riley Duran, Ivan, and one other unnamed player, per team sources.
The divergent strategies highlight two different roster philosophies. Pittsburgh's blanket approach ensures maximum flexibility to negotiate or trade rights, while Boston's targeted offers suggest the front office is prioritizing certain prospects over others. Which players were not extended offers by Boston was not disclosed.
Moving forward, both teams now have until the start of the 2025-26 season to sign their RFAs or risk losing them to offer sheets from rival clubs. The Penguins have been active in the trade market this offseason, while the Bruins are expected to focus on re-signing core veterans.
"We feel good about the group we have coming back," said Penguins GM Kyle Dubas in a statement, though he provided no specifics on contract terms. The Bruins have not commented publicly on their qualifying offer decisions.