The Pittsburgh Penguins' acquisition of defenseman Egor Zamula has taken an unexpected turn, as the team is set to terminate his contract just days after acquiring him. The decision comes after Zamula failed to report to the Penguins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
On January 5, 2026, the Penguins placed the 25-year-old Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination. This move abruptly ends Zamula's brief tenure with the organization, which began on December 31, 2025, when he was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino.
Zamula's failure to report to the AHL constitutes a direct violation of his contractual obligations. In response, the Penguins suspended the defenseman before initiating the process of contract termination. The organization's swift action underscores its emphasis on professionalism and accountability under head coach Dan Muse. This is not the first time this season that the Penguins have suspended a player for failing to report to their minor league affiliate. Earlier in the season, defenseman Emil Pieniniemi was suspended for failing to report to the Wheeling Nailers, their ECHL affiliate.
Zamula is currently in the final year of a two-year contract that carries a $1.7 million cap hit. With the termination of his contract due to his failure to report, the Penguins will receive cap relief. If Zamula clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent and be free to sign with any team. Despite this setback, there appears to be significant interest from other NHL teams in signing Zamula.
Prior to being traded to Pittsburgh, Zamula played 13 games for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2025-26 season, recording one assist. He also played three games for the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he tallied two assists. Throughout his NHL career, Zamula has appeared in 168 games, all with the Flyers, accumulating 8 goals and 41 points.
Zamula, who is from Chelyabinsk, Russia, was originally signed by the Flyers as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He represented Russia at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games and led his team in average ice time.
