Former Penguins defenseman Filip Kral returns to Czechia
Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Filip Kral has re-signed with HC Kometo Brno of the Extraliga ledního hokeje (ELH) in his native Czechia.
That team announced it had signed Kral via a release on Tuesday.
Kral, 25, previously played for that team after coming up through its youth program.
The Penguins signed Kral as an unrestricted free agent during the 2024 offseason, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $775,000.
He spent the bulk of the 2024-25 season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, appearing in 61 games and posting 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists).
The Penguins briefly recalled Kral to the NHL roster on April 14. After being a healthy scratch for one game, he was returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on April 18.
With regard to his NHL status, Kral is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
The Penguins’ pending free agents this upcoming offseason:
Unrestricted
Forwards - Boko Imama, Jimmy Huntington, Marc Johnstone, Joona Koppanen, Mathias Laferriere, Matt Nieto
Defensemen - Matt Grzelcyk, Filip Kral
Restricted
Forwards - Raivis Ansons, Emil Bemstrom, Connor Dewar, Vasily Ponomarev, Philip Tomasino
Defensemen - Nathan Clurman, Mac Hollowell, P.O Joseph, Colton Poolman, Conor Timmins
Goaltender - Taylor Gauthier
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, 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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