For the second consecutive year, the rebuilding Pittsburgh Penguins mostly jettisoned assets on the NHL roster to other teams with valid postseason aspirations.
There was a lone exception to that approach on March 7, however.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs facing a bit of a salary cap crunch, the Penguins took advantage of the predicament and acquired depth defenseman Conor Timmins and forward Connor Dewar in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in this year’s draft.
While whatever success the Penguins will enjoy will largely be buoyed by players who are not yet legally allowed to drink in this country, the Penguins brought in Timmins, 26, and Dewar, 25, because both players are pending restricted free agents this upcoming offseason and they can influence the team’s fortunes in years to come, albeit from limited roles.
Dewar’s skillset as a bottom-six energy forward prompted an enthusiastic scouting report from Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas after the trade was made March 7.
“Highly competitive, great teammate, can come in and bring a certain life and spirit to the group,” Dubas said. “He brings life, energy and spirit. As we continue to work our way through this, it’s important to have those types of people here.
“He’s under team control with his (contractual) status. We’ll give him a good run. We’re excited about him.”
Dewar largely did that in approximately six weeks following the trade. Appearing in 17 games for the Penguins, he scored seven points (four goals, three assists) while averaging 14:27 of ice time, including 2:02 in short-handed situations.
Pittsburgh goal!
Scored by Connor Dewar with 02:49 remaining in the 1st period.
Assisted by Noel Acciari and Conor Timmins.
Pittsburgh: 1
New Jersey: 1#NJDvsPIT#LetsGoPens#NJDevilspic.twitter.com/ogS4DWmdLD— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 15, 2025
“It’s been great,” Dewar said of his tenure with the team during season-ending interviews April 18. “I came here and got an opportunity to play and showcase the type of player I am. I felt like it’s been a great fit here for me.”
Dewar didn’t seem to find a good fit with the Maple Leafs. And in all honesty, some of his troubles began before he joined that team.
He suffered a torn labrum in a shoulder early in the 2023-24 season as a member of the Minnesota Wild and the malady lingered for the entire campaign, including after he joined the Maple Leafs at the 2024 trade deadline. After the Maple Leafs were knocked out of the first round of the 2024 postseason, he had surgery in May of that year.
His recuperation from that procedure prevented him from participating in Toronto’s training camp and preseason. Opening 2024-25 on long-term injured reserve, Dewar did not get into the lineup until Nov. 12.
Ultimately, he played in 31 games for the Maple Leafs this past regular season and logged only three assists along with 9:58 of ice time per contest.
“I was coming off shoulder surgery last summer,” Dewar said. “I had a late start. Didn’t get to training camp. It felt like fighting uphill at the start of the season. Then came here and found my footing. Kind of found my confidence again. I felt good about the way my season ended.”
Capable of playing all three forward positions, the left-handed Dewar sees himself filling a defined — but multifaceted – station for the Penguins.
“I can play a good depth role and provide a little bit of secondary scoring from down the lineup,” Dewar said. “Be a great penalty killer and be someone who is hard to play against.”
Eligible for salary arbitration this upcoming offseason, Dewar is signed to a one-year contract with a salary cap hit of $1.18 million.
It’s anyone’s guess what he might be able to command as a pending restricted free agent. But he clearly values what the Penguins have provided for him.
“A job in the NHL is a good job,” Dewar said.