Former Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Josh Maniscalco has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Rockford IceHogs, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Maniscalco, 24, just completed a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins. He entered the offseason as a pending restricted free agent, but the Penguins declined to extend a qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
An undrafted free agent signing out of Arizona State in August of 2020, the right-handed Maniscalco has yet to reach the NHL and has spent most of his professional existence to this point at the ECHL level with the Wheeling Nailers.
Maniscalco, a native of Perkiomenville in Montgomery County, split the 2022-23 season between the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Nailers. In 27 AHL games, he posted four points (two goals, two assists). With the Nailers, Maniscalco recorded 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 31 games and was selected to the ECHL’s All-Star Game.
Following this transaction, three players who finished the 2022-23 season signed to an NHL contract with the Penguins remain unrestricted free agents: forward Danton Heinen as well as defensemen Peter DiLiberatore and Colin Swoyer.
The Penguins have three remaining restricted free agents who are unsigned: forwards Jonathan Gruden, Drew O’Connor and Ty Smith.
