Penguins bring back forward Josh Archibald
The Penguins have brought back forward Josh Archibald on a one-year, one-way contract worth $900,000.
A sixth-round pick (No. 174 overall) of the Penguins in 2011, Archibald returns to the franchise after spending parts of the past four seasons in the Western Conference with the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers.
Last season was difficult for Archibald by any measure. As one of a very limited number of players in the NHL who are not vaccinated for covid-19, Archibald contracted the virus and then was stricken with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, during the 2021 offseason. As a result, he missed the majority of the regular season and did not appear in a game until March 12.
Further to that, Archibald’s unvaccinated status did not permit him to cross the border from Canada into the United States due to laws regarding a quarantine for those without vaccination.
As a result, Archibald was limited to eight games and one assist during the regular season. He averaged 13:21 of ice time per contest over that span.
During the 2022 postseason, Archibald received a medical exemption that allowed him to cross the border more freely. In 13 playoff games, Archibald recorded one assist while clocking 9:27 of ice time per contest.
It is not certain how his unvaccinated status may impact his ability to travel to Canada as a member of the Penguins. A request for clarity with a team spokesperson was pending while a phone call to Archibald’s agent, Scott Bartlett, was not returned.
The right-handed Archibald (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) spent parts of his first three NHL seasons with the Penguins, appearing in 13 games and scoring three goals after debuting during the 2015-16 season. During the 2017 postseason, Archibald played in four games for the Penguins and did not record a point but was a member of the franchise’s most recent Stanley Cup championship.
In December of 2019, Archibald was traded to the Coyotes.
Primarily a bottom-line winger throughout this career, Archibald’s most prolific season in the NHL came in 2019-20 with the Oilers. Appearing in 62 games, he had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists).
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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