The Pittsburgh Penguins Have signed veteran defenseman Kris Letang Ron Hextall, general manager, announced Thursday that he had extended his contract for six years, at $36.6 million.
Letang was granted unrestricted freedom as a pending agent in late April. His new contract starts in 2022-23rd and ends in 2027-28.
Hextall stated in a statement that Kris epitomizes what it is to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. “The important role he plays in our team is irreplaceable. He is a leader and has made many contributions to the organisation over the past 15-plus year, including three Stanley Cup Championships. We are proud to name him a Penguin for the rest of his life.
Letang, 35, is a veteran of the Penguins’ top-four position. Letang was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He is now the leader in franchise defenseman in goals scored (144), assists (506), points (665) and points (941).
Letang was also a three time Cup winner with Pittsburgh. He won the titles in 2009 (2016), 2016 and 2017. His postseason totals of 149 games with Pittsburgh, 23 goals, and 67 assists, as well as 95 points, are the highest ever for a Penguins defenseman.
The Penguins and Letang are both happy to lock him up on a team-friendly deal. Pittsburgh only has a limited amount of cap space for addressing a few key free agents — such as the center. Evgeni Malkin Letang will be offered a longer-term agreement, which could compensate for his potential lower salary.
Malkin is not the only Penguin that has this ability. Rickard Rakell Evan Rodrigues This month, you can get free agency Starting goaltender Tristan Jarry Hextall is also entering the last season of his contract, so it’s even more crucial that he be careful with the space he has.