On a very slow news day/week, the Penguins announced that they agreed to terms with Marcus Pettersson on a 5 year contract extension, carrying an average annual value of $4,025,175,
The Penguins have agreed to terms with defenseman Marcus Pettersson on a five-year contract extension.
The deal will kick in at the beginning of the 2020.21 season and run through the 2024.25 campaign, carrying an average annual value of $4,025,175.https://t.co/5rzWRFQXyC pic.twitter.com/pi9ik3sDEV
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 28, 2020
Given what Pettersson brings to the table as a staple among the top 4 defensemen on the Penguins blue line, the money and term on this feels like a steal.
Even more so when you factor in just how good he and John Marino have been on that 2nd pair.
Best defensive lines this season (lowest expected goals against). Minimum 200 minutes played. https://t.co/qJ34bzwQWo pic.twitter.com/tnUAF9Tp04
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) January 24, 2020
Effectively, this locks down the Penguins top 4 for at least the next 3 seasons, taking us to the end of Malkin’s and Letang’s current contracts. It will also leave, conservatively, around $20M to sign the other pending RFAs (McCann, Kahun, Simon, Riikola, Murray, and Jarry).
And after shipping out Olli Maatta, the team’s #2 LD, there was always going to be an opportunity there for Pettersson to step in and take that bull by the horns. He’s done just that, and got rewarded with Olli Maatta Money. And if Marcus Pettersson isn’t a huge upgrade over Olli Maatta, it’s truly impossible to say what is.
Shrewd move out of GMJR if you were to ask me.
Cover photo via Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
