Penguins A to Z: Kasper Bjorkqvist finally reached the NHL. Now what?

With the Penguins’ 2021-22 season coming to a quick ending in the first round of the playoffs, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until the 2022-23 season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Kasper Bjorkqvist

Position: Right winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 24

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 198 pounds

2021-22 NHL statistics: Six games, one point (one goal, zero assists)

2021-22 AHL statistics: 54 games, 12 points (eight goals, four assists)

Contract: One-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $750,000. Pending restricted free agent this upcoming offseason.

(Note: According to Cap Friendly, Bjorkqvist is eligible for arbitration in August.)

Acquired: Second-round draft pick (No. 61 overall), June 25, 2016.

Last season: Kasper Bjorkqvist enjoyed a couple of notable accomplishments during 2021-22 campaign.

First, he started and completed a season in North America. A knee injury (2019-20) and the pandemic (2020-21) denied him of that seemingly mundane achievement in the previous two seasons.

Second, he finally reached the NHL.

More than five years after the Penguins had invested a relatively high draft pick into Bjorkqvist, he made his NHL debut Jan. 2.

Third (and finally), he scored his first career NHL goal in that debut. Off a feed from linemate Radim Zohorna, Bjorkqvist crashed the crease and chopped in a forehand shot against Sharks goaltender James Reimer.

In total, Bjorkqvist was recalled to the NHL level four times (Oct. 26, Jan. 2, Feb 23 and March 27) with all six of his NHL games coming in January when injuries and illness had pockmarked the roster. Averaging 8:22 of ice time, Bjorkqvist was primarily deployed as a fourth liner during his cup of coffee with the NHL club.

As a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Bjorkqvist — who is listed as a right winger but predominantly plays the left wing — was used as a bottom-six forward and on the penalty kill.

Appearing in all six of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s postseason games, Bjorkqvist recorded one assist.

The future: Bjorkqvist finally reached the NHL. And that was no small accomplishment considering how severe of a knee injury he suffered in 2019.

But now what?

First, he needs to re-sign with the team. And by all accounts, management seems happy with Bjorkqvist and has every intention of extending a qualifying offer. Given his age and limited accomplishments thus far, something along the lines of a one-year “prove-it” contract might be in his immediate future.

There appears to be ample opportunity for Bjorkqvist to claim a full-time role in a bottom-six capacity going into the 2022-23 season. In fact, during his season-ending media availability May 23, general manager Ron Hextall named Bjorkqvist specifically — as well as a few other forwards in the system — as being capable of contending for a full-time roster spot in training camp.

One of the stronger players in the organization, Bjorkqvist has an aptitude for physical wall play and has certainly put the work in to be a sturdy defensive player. And they need to find someone capable of offering that type of game.

After steady defensive forward Zach Aston-Reese was jettisoned at the trade deadline March 21, the Penguins never truly found a replacement for him in that capacity.

Bjorkqvist, who turns 25 on July 10, appears capable of assuming that role.

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