Penguins A to Z: Danton Heinen can be better

With the Pittsburgh Penguins entering the offseason for a third consecutive year without a playoff appearance, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 56 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until future seasons — with the organization.

Starting with Noel Acciari and going on through to Philip Tomasino (regrettably, there is no Z on the payroll), every player will be profiled in alphabetical order.

This series is scheduled to be published Mondays through Saturdays leading up until June 24, four days before the start of the NHL Draft. In the event of a transaction, that schedule will be altered as necessary.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Puckpedia.)

Danton Heinen

Position: Left winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 29

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 195 pounds

2024-25 NHL statistics: 79 games, 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists), 13:27 of average ice time per contest

Contract: In the first year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $2.25 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2026.

(This contract contains a modified no-trade clause that allows Heinen to submit a list of 12 teams he would not accept a trade to.)

Acquired: Trade, Feb. 1, 2025

This season: Danton Heinen began and ended the 2024-25 season in familiar places.

A native of Langley, British Columbia, he joined his hometown Vancouver Canucks as a free agent in the 2024 offseason. Then just past the midway point of the season, he was dealt to the Penguins, a team he had enjoyed some of his best success as NHLer previously in his career.

The Canucks brought in Heinen in hope he would be the plug-and-play middle-six forward who can flip to either wing that he has largely been throughout his career. But as the Canucks struggled as a whole, that team’s inconsistencies were mirrored by Heinen who produced only 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 51 games.

Vancouver goal!

Scored by Danton Heinen with 19:39 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Teddy Blueger and Kiefer Sherwood.

Chicago: 0
Vancouver: 1#VANvsCHI #Blackhawks #Canucks pic.twitter.com/7DtZgFo9Mq

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 23, 2024

On Feb. 1, the Canucks, desperate to salvage their playoff hopes, swung two massive trades, the second of which saw them deal away Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, forward prospect Melvin Fernstrom and a first-round draft pick — acquired in that day’s other trade with the New York Rangers — in exchange for forward Drew O’Connor and defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

The Penguins’ motivation in the deal was mainly rooted in the first-round pick. The other pieces — including Heinen — were necessary to make things work for the Canucks’ salary cap figures.

But a return to the Penguins presented Heinen with an opportunity to skate in a more prominent role with a team he had success with previously, especially during the 2021-22 season.

It would be generous to say those aspirations were realized, however. While he saw a slight uptick in production, Heinen posted a mundane 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 28 contests following the trade.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Danton Heinen with 11:14 remaining in the 3rd period.

Pittsburgh: 4
Washington: 2#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/2zLNyPX2iE

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 18, 2025

The future: As he has stated himself, Heinen’s season wasn’t satisfactory.

As evidenced by his previous stint with the Penguins and his time with the Boston Bruins, Heinen, is capable of producing much more than the threadbare numbers he generated in 2024-25.

At the same time, he’s an easy guy for coaches to trust in a variety of roles. Ideally, he’s a third-line winger but he can be competent on the second line if injuries or absences create an opening. He has a moderate level of scoring touch and while he won’t be a threat to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy anytime soon, he’s reliable in a defensive sense.

Heinen is under contract for another year and management seems comfortable with the idea of him in that role.

But, by his own words, Heinen can be better than what he showed in 2024-25.