Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Danton Heinen has signed a professional tryout contract (PTO) with the Boston Bruins.
That team announced the transaction via release on Monday.
Heinen spent the past two seasons with the Penguins. Initially signed as an unrestricted free agent in the 2021 offseason, Heinen largely served as a replacement winger among the Penguins’ top-six forwards when injuries or other absences created opportunities throughout the 2021-22 season. In 76 games that campaign, Heinen scored a career-best 18 goals to go with 33 points.
After re-signing with the Penguins late in the 2022 offseason, Heinen (6-foot-1, 181 points) did not enjoy the same level of opportunity among the Penguins’ top-six forwards in 2022-23 and was not nearly as productive. In 65 contests, Heinen generated only 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists).
With Heinen joining the Bruins, the only player who finished the 2022-23 season under an NHL contract with the Penguins who remains unsigned is minor league defenseman Peter DiLiberatore.
The left-handed Heinen is returning to the Bruins who drafted him in the fourth round (No. 116 overall) in 2014. Heinen has played parts of four seasons with the Bruins at the NHL level and was a member of the 2018-19 team that won the Eastern Conference title.
