The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially moved to terminate the contract of goaltender Filip Larsson, clearing a path for the 27-year-old Swede to return to Europe. The transaction, finalized on 04 February 2026, marks the end of Larsson’s brief tenure within the Penguins organization.
Larsson was placed on unconditional waivers on Tuesday, 03 February 2026, for the purpose of contract termination. According to reports from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Larsson cleared waivers this morning and has already secured a new professional home, signing with Leksands IF in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Contract Breakdown and Financial Impact
Larsson was in the first year of a two-year, two-way contract signed with Pittsburgh during the 2024 off-season. The deal carried an average annual value (AAV) of $775,000 CAD at the NHL level. By mutually terminating the agreement, the Penguins effectively remove his cap hit from their books and free up a contract slot within the NHL’s 50-contract limit.
| Player | Status | New Team | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filip Larsson | Unrestricted Free Agent | Leksands IF (SHL) | 04 February 2026 |
Reasoning for the Departure
The decision to part ways stems from a “goalie glut” within the Penguins’ system. With stable goaltending depth at both the NHL level in Pittsburgh and the AHL level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Larsson found himself struggling for consistent playing time. The Stockholm native, who was originally a sixth-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2016, opted to return to his home country where he previously found success before attempting this most recent North American stint.
Larsson was one of three players league-wide placed on unconditional waivers on Tuesday, joining Ryan McAllister (Pittsburgh) and Samuel Johannesson (St. Louis) in seeking contract terminations to pursue opportunities elsewhere.