Pens sign 2012 2nd round pick Teddy Blueger to entry level contract

After signing Jake Guentzel this morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins also finalized a deal to sign Teddy Blueger as well. From the team:

The two-way contract will begin with the 2016-17 season and run through the 2017-18 campaign.

Blueger will join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Tuesday on an amateur tryout contract through the remainder of this season.

Blueger, 21, completed his senior season at Minnesota State-Mankato, leading the Mavericks in points (35) and assists (24) while scoring 11 goals in 41 games as one of the team’s alternate captains. Seven of Blueger’s 11 tallies this year were game-winning markers. Those numbers earned him a spot on the WCHA First All-Star Team.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Blueger improved his offensive statistics each year at Minnesota State, wrapping up his career with 108 points (31G-77A) in 155 games. He finished with 13 game-winning goals, 10 power-play goals and two shorthanded tallies.

Blueger ranked 13th last summer in Pensburgh's "Top 25 under 25" rankings. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer had he not signed with the Pens now, so it's great that the team was able to get him inked before he went the way of Mike Reilly or Justin Schultz and elected to sign a contract with a different team than where he was drafted.

Blueger probably needs some developmental time in the AHL, but with injuries you never know. No fewer than 8 forwards who started the year in Wilkes-Barre have seen at least a game in Pittsburgh this season, so a call-up is always possible with injuries.

Here's a scouting report on Blueger from SBN College Hockey

Blueger led the Mavericks in scoring in his senior season with an 11-24-35 scoring line. Blueger has always been primarily a playmaker, using his quick hands and passing ability to set up teammates rather than looking to create his own shot. The biggest gains he's made over the course of his college career have been in the weight room, going from a skinny 18-year-old freshman to a player that was remarkably difficult to knock off the puck as a senior. Blueger likely won't quite make it as a top-six forward at the NHL level, but he could provide some scoring punch to a lower line, and is especially valuable because of his ability to play center.