![From A to Z: Penguins player Filip Kral receives a second opportunity From A to Z: Penguins player Filip Kral receives a second opportunity](https://i2.wp.com/assets-varnish.triblive.com/2024/05/7388595_web1_ptr-PensKral-052924.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
With the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2023-24 season coming to a close without any postseason action, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 52 people signed to an NHL contract, including those whose deals don’t start . until next season, with the organization, from fourth-line center Noel Acciari to reserve winger Radim Zohorna.
This series is scheduled to be published every weekday leading up to the second day of the NHL Draft on June 29.
(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly).
Philip Kral
Position: defending
Shots: Left
Age: 24
Height: 6 ft 2
Weight: 198 pounds
League Statistics 2023-24: 46 games, 37 points (five goals, 32 assists), 21:16 average ice time per game
2023-24 Liiga Postseason Statistics: 17 games, eight points (one goal, seven assists), 23:17 average ice time per game
Contract: Enter a one-year, two-way contract with a $775,000 salary cap hit. Pending restricted free agent in 2025.
Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, May 21, 2024
This season: Originally from the Czech Republic, Kral spent the entire 2023-24 season in Finland with the Lahti Pelicans of the Liiga.
But he is no stranger to North American hockey.
In 2017, he moved to this continent and spent three prolific seasons at the youth level with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League, serving as an alternate captain in his final season with that club in 2019-20.
His success at Washington State led to him being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round (No. 149 overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft (current Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas , had recently been named general manager of the Maple Leafs for that draft.)
Kral joined the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign, spending three seasons with the Maple Leafs affiliate and enjoying a brief cup of coffee at the NHL level in 2022. 23, appearing in two games without points. .
Dubas was waived by the Maple Leafs in May 2023 and replaced by Brad Treliving, who declined to extend a qualifying offer to Kral, allowing him to move from restricted free agent to unrestricted free agent with respect to his NHL status. .
That led to Kral signing with the Pelicans on July 14, 2023.
Taking advantage of a larger ice surface than typically used in North America, Kral’s offensive game flourished and he finished fourth in the Liiga in scoring among defensemen despite missing 14 regular season games.
???? Filip Kral lataa @PelicansFi:n takaisin johtoon! ????
Ryan Laschille samalla illan toinen ykkössyöttö. ????
???? @MTVUrheilu | #liiga #PelicansFi pic.twitter.com/eHdhvbS2Ih
-Liiga (@smliiga) January 10, 2024
Kral, who skated primarily on the left side of the Pelicans’ second pairing, helped the Pelicans finish third in the league. In the postseason, the Pelicans reached the championship game but lost the series to Tampereen Tappara, 4-1.
Kral was second among defensemen in postseason scoring
The future: Things went as Kral planned.
In an interview with the Pelicans website, he described his reasons for playing in Finland.
“I think I still have a chance to get an NHL contract in the future,” Kral said. “A good season in Europe can help us return there in a better role than before.”
Mission accomplished… so far.
He got his contract. As for what his role will be, it will be decided in September during training camp.
He will most likely open the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, and could end up being that team’s best defenseman from the start.
As for any type of role on the NHL roster, he’ll have to deal with a logjam on the left side of the blue line, as the Penguins have players like Marcus Pettersson and Ryan Graves under contract, while PO Joseph will probably return. -Sign as a pending restricted free agent.
At best, Kral, who turns 25 on October 20, has a chance to claim a spot as the seventh defenseman. Worst case scenario, he will be one of the first players called up by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the event of a no-show on the NHL roster.
Kral has a history with Dubas. And after a good season in Finland, he has been given a second chance to succeed in the NHL.
Follow the Penguins all season long.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. Originally from North Huntingdon, 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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