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.)

Daniel Laatsch

Position: Defenseman

Shoots: Left

Age: 23

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 182 pounds

2024-25 NCAA statistics: 22 games, five points (two goals, three assists)

Contract: Signed to a two-year, entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $860,000 that begins in 2025-26. Pending restricted free agent in 2027.

(Laatsch does not require waivers to be assigned to a minor league affiliate.)

Acquired: Seventh-round draft pick (No. 215 overall), June 24, 2021

This season: Daniel Laatsch entered his senior campaign at Wisconsin without any guarantees about his professional aspirations.

Then he ended the season with an injury. And an NHL contract.

Appointed as an alternate captain entering the season, Laatsch opened 2024-25 on the left side of the Badgers’ top pairing.

Largely a defensive-minded entity throughout his collegiate career, Laatsch offered limited offensive contributions but when he did score a goal, he made sure they counted this past season.

His first goal came in the second game of 2024-25 when he scored in overtime of a 3-2 home win against Lindenwood on Oct. 12.

Badgers come back from down 2-0 to win in OT!

????: Gavin Morrissey & Quinn Finley pic.twitter.com/L4aXeeABys

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 13, 2024

Then he scored again in overtime of a 5-4 road win against Penn State on Nov. 15.

Laatsch tallies his SECOND overtime game-winning goal of the year! pic.twitter.com/QiHDlfpyQF

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) November 16, 2024

Laatsch remained a quiet but stout presence in Wisconsin’s lineup for the first 22 games of 2024-25. But once the calendar flipped to 2025, his season and collegiate career came to an end Jan. 10 when he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in a hip according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

That procedure requires a recovery of three to six months.

During his convalescence, Laatsch signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins on March 10.

The future: Presuming a full recovery, Laatsch will report to either Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League or Wheeling of the ECHL to open the 2025-26 season to begin his professional career.

He is a project and will require plenty of refinement if he is to reach the NHL. But there is a lot to be intrigued by. About 6-foot-5 worth of intrigue, to be precise.

While not an overly physical player by his own audit, Laatsch is blessed with long limbs and had “the best defensive stick in college hockey” entering his senior season as Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos suggested last summer.

Laatsch is raw. He will likely need to add some physical elements to his game. And players of his size always need to work at their skating when they turn professional. But the opportunity to develop his game will be abundant with either Wilkes-Barre/Scranton or Wheeling.

It will require some time and hard work, but it won’t be a reach to see Laatsch get to the NHL as a defensive defenseman.

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