The names of the six restricted free agents who received qualifying offers from the Penguins yesterday shouldn't surprise many.

Forwards Colby Armstrong and Ryan Malone, defenseman Brooks Orpik and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are considered to be among the players the team hopes to build upon, and forwards Jani Rita and Niklas Nordgren have the potential to be solid skill players.

It's a couple of the 11 players who didn't receive a qualifying offer by the 5 p.m. deadline -- thereby making them free agents on Saturday -- that served as further notice that new general manager Ray Shero is looking for leeway to restructure the roster.

Among those headed for the open market are wingers Andy Hilbert, who was picked up on waivers at the trade deadline and played on the top line with Sidney Crosby, and Konstantin Koltsov, a first-round draft pick in 1999 who played in 58 games with the Penguins last season.

Two other familiar names will become unrestricted free agents. Tomas Surovy was promoted from the minor leagues in December and stuck with the team the rest of the season. Goaltender Andy Chiodo spent most of the season in the minor leagues.

Two others acquired by trade last season were not offered -- forwards Krys Kolanos and Petr Taticek, both former first-round draft picks. The Penguins also did not send qualifying offers to five other prospects -- forwards Ben Eaves and Cam Paddock and defensemen Drew Fata, Alex Rouleau and Andy Schneider.

"It's maybe a different direction," Shero said. "When you're 29th [out of 30 teams] in the league, you need change. We've got to get better."

Shero said he's familiar with several of the players who were not given qualifying offers and that the decision with some of them was based not so much on talent but as a means to reduce the number of arbitration-eligible players and those with one-way contracts.

Shero and agents for several of the players not given qualifying offers indicated there is a chance some of them could re-sign with the Penguins, depending on what offers they get from other teams.

"It's a decision we agreed on, to let Andy [Hilbert] see what's out there on the open market," representative Paul Krepelka said. "We're not closing the door. There's a chance he could be back."

Craig Oster, who represents Surovy, said the Slovakian winger had hoped to draw more interest from the Penguins.

"It may be a little disappointing, but this will give him an opportunity to find out if other NHL teams have an interest or whether he might go back to Europe, which he was considering," Oster said.

By making qualifying offers to six of their restricted free agents, the Penguins retained their rights and can match any offers they might get from other teams.

Last week, the Penguins bought out the contracts of goaltender Sebastien Caron, who spent most of last season as the team's backup, and center Shane Endicott.

NOTE -- Shero said that while defenseman Chris Pronger, a former Norris Trophy winner who has demanded a trade from Edmonton, would be attractive to any team, the Penguins probably won't be in a position to make such a big move for a high-profile veteran for a few years.