Wisconsin's Daniel Laatsch (2) handles the puck during the third period of the Badgers Big Ten quarterfinal against Ohio State on Sunday March 10, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Penguins Sign Defenseman Daniel Laatsch to Entry-Level Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have inked 6’5” defenseman Daniel Laatsch to a three-year entry-level contract, adding size and depth to their blue line.

Wisconsin's Daniel Laatsch (2) handles the puck during the third period of the Badgers Big Ten quarterfinal against Ohio State on Sunday March 10, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially signed defenseman Daniel Laatsch to a two-year entry-level contract, ensuring they retain his rights before the August 15 deadline. This deal covers the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, though financial details have not been disclosed.

Laatsch, a towering 6’5” blueliner, was drafted by Pittsburgh in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 23-year-old recently wrapped up his college hockey career at the University of Wisconsin, where he spent four seasons developing his defensive skills. Over 126 games with the Badgers, Laatsch recorded 6 goals and 20 assists, emphasizing his role as a stay-at-home defenseman rather than an offensive contributor.

In his final college season, injuries limited Laatsch to just 22 games, where he managed 2 goals and 3 assists while maintaining a plus-one rating. Despite his limited offensive production, Pittsburgh has been interested in him for some time. Tom Kostopoulos, the Penguins’ director of player development, previously stated that the team had considered signing Laatsch after his junior season but ultimately encouraged him to return for his senior year to gain more experience.

Laatsch is known for his strong defensive positioning and hockey IQ, but there are concerns about his lean frame—he weighs just 183 pounds despite his impressive height. While his disciplined style of play is valuable, he isn’t known for being a physically imposing presence, accumulating just 18 penalty minutes throughout his college career.

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Now that his college chapter is closed, Laatsch is expected to join the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the remainder of the season on a tryout basis. However, he won’t be eligible to make his NHL debut until the 2025-26 season when his entry-level contract officially kicks in.

With this signing, Laatsch becomes the second Penguins prospect to ink an entry-level deal in as many days, following Michigan Tech defenseman Chase Pietila. The Penguins’ 2021 draft class has yet to see any of its selections make an NHL appearance, and one of their five picks, Ryan McCleary, has already had his signing rights relinquished. Pittsburgh hopes that Laatsch can develop into a reliable piece of their defensive depth moving forward. While he still has work to do to earn a full-time NHL role, the Penguins’ investment in him signals their belief in his potential.

Image Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Daniel Laatsch

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Anamika Shrivastava

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