MacArthur Embraces New Opportunity With Penguins

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Sometimes all a player needs to jump start their career is a change of scenery. New Penguins forward Bennett MacArthur is hopeful that is the case following a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning organization over the summer.

MacArthur, 23, is entering the final year of a three-entry level contract he signed following a tremendous season with the QMJHL's Acadie-Bathurst Titan in 2021-22 - a season in which he tallied 42 goals and added 35 assists in just 54 games.

His goal-scoring prowess hasn't quite translated to the AHL-level through his first two years as a pro, but there also hasn't been many opportunities that came his way in his time with the Lightning organization - appearing in just four AHL games in his rookie season with the Syracuse Crunch followed by two games last season.

To date, MacArthur has been primarily in the ECHL - recording 21 goals and 37 assists in 108 games the past two seasons with the Orlando Solar Bears and Allen Americans.

He was training this summer and preparing to head to Tampa Bay after the NHL Draft when he got the call from Lightning that he had been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization (in exchange for WBS Penguins forward Lukas Svejkovsky).

MacArthur then got a call from Pittsburgh Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza, welcoming him to the organization and informing him to come out to Pittsburgh for the team's summer development camp in July.

"I wasn't expecting it, I wouldn't say that," MacArthur told InsideAHLHockey.com about the trade on June 30. "I think it was a really good opportunity for me. And, you know, it was a bit of a shock at the time. I was really excited when it happened, and I'm happy to be here."

The opportunity to join the Penguins for development camp allowed MacArthur to get a head start working with new Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald, and he is certainly aiming to make a good first impression with his new team and coach.

"I think it's a clean slate. It's important for me to come in with an open mind and really try to make a push with this team," MacArthur said. "And with the new coach as well, he's got lots of guys to look at and learn. So it's good opportunity for me."