Penguins sign defenseman Declan Carlile

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TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 4: Declan Carlile #67 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Benchmark International Arena on December 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The Penguins have added again in free agency. Left shot Declan Carlile, formerly of Tampa, has reportedly signed a two-year deal with Pittsburgh.

Declan Carlile 2 x $1.5M

Pittsburgh

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2026

Carlile could be a candidate to help fill in for the loss of Parker Wotherspoon after yesterday’s trade. Carlile was another player profiled on Pensburgh yesterday as a name to keep an eye on.

Declan Carlile​

AFP Projection: $850k AAV for one year


Saving perhaps the best for last, Carlile gives off some young Ryan Shea vibes with a similar size (6’3, 190) and being a late-bloomer who spent a handful of years toiling in the AHL before getting a chance with Tampa last year in a depth role (42 games and two more in the playoffs) and making a decent accounting on the PK. Carlile might be redundant for Pittsburgh, since they have a similar player in Ilya Solovyov as a depth option, but this could be a projection along the Shea/Wotherspoon area. At only 26 years old, Carlile’s future might be worth taking a low-risk flyer on at a position of need if the Pens think he potentially could stick on their third pair next season if given the opportunity to grow, just as a player like Shea did in recent years. Shea has graduated into big money now, targeting Carlile would reset the cycle back to a younger and less expensive option.

Carlile has looked decent in a limited sample, given his salary and a lack of depth on the left side he should be in-line to get the opportunity to play as big of a role as he is capable of next season.

Declan Carlile, signed 2x$1.5M by PIT, is a depth defensive defenceman. pic.twitter.com/kkvksNcG9J

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2026

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