Long-term commitment
Young defenseman shows trust in Penguins, GM, and it pays off
Marcus Pettersson signs deal that will keep him here through 2024-25 season.
The Penguins took a step to lock down their defensive future Tuesday when they agreed to a five-year contract extension with 23-yearold Marcus Pettersson.
The deal, which carries an average annual value of $4,025,175 and runs through 2024-25, doesn’t kick in until the 2020-21 season, meaning it won’t impact salary-cap space for the rest of this season.
“I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity,” Pettersson said Tuesday. “As soon as I got to Pittsburgh, this is a place you want to be. With the history they have and the winning mentality and the core group still being here, I felt like this was by far the best option.”
The Penguins initially acquired Pettersson from Anaheim Dec. 3, 2018, in exchange for Daniel Sprong. They quickly identified him as a defenseman with upside whom they wanted to keep longer term.
It’s no secret that Pettersson’s representatives and the Penguins had hoped to sign the 6-foot-3, left-handed defenseman to a multiyear deal before this season. The Penguins, however, were up against the upper limit of the salary cap, and both sides decided to find a short-term solution.
On the eve of preseason training camp, Pettersson signed a team-friendly contract that carried an average annual value of $874,125. The deal was made with the understanding that they would revisit the contract situation when the rules permitted.
“I wanted to do something that was good for the team and I wanted to play, as well,” Pettersson said. “Me and my agent put a lot of trust, and rightfully so. This is an organization that is trustworthy.
“We didn’t want to be in the situation we were in. It was a unique situation. For sure, there was big trust there.”
Per NHL rules, once Pettersson signed that deal, the two sides weren’t allowed to negotiate a long-term contract until Jan. 1. But once the ball dropped, the window was open again to make a deal. The Penguins rewarded Pettersson for the trust he put into the organization.
“They were pretty clear from the beginning that they believed in me,” Pettersson said. “I wanted to lay that same trust in them.”
Since Pettersson was acquired 14 months ago, he has the second-most points and third-highest plus-minus (plus-17) among Penguins defensemen. During a season in which injuries have ravaged the roster, Pettersson
is also one of just five Penguins — and the only defenseman — who has played in all 50 games.
For most of the season, Pettersson has been in a topfour role on the blue line. With Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz injured, he currently plays on the second pairing with rookie John Marino.
“In just over a year, Marcus has had a significant impact on our defensive group,” general manager Jim Rutherford said. “He is young, reliable and smart, which is important in today’s game. Marcus is part of our young core and it was important to get him signed long term.”
One of the intriguing aspects about Pettersson is that he’s still young. He’s only 23 years old and has played in just 156 NHL games. That means he likely hasn’t reached his ceiling yet.
Pettersson said that he’d like to continue to add weight and strength to 6-3 frame. Coach Mike Sullivan said he sees ways that Pettersson’s offensive game can continue to evolve.
“We’re trying to help him continue to grow his offensive game because we think he’s capable,” Sullivan said a few weeks back. “He’s still a young defenseman in this league. He’s continuing to learn and grow in some of the added responsibilities that we’re giving him. We think Marcus is a terrific defenseman, and he’s good on both sides of the puck.”
Time will tell what Pettersson’s deal means for the rest of the defensive corps. This offseason, the Penguins will have to make at least one big decision, when Schultz becomes an unrestricted free agent. He’s currently playing out the last year on his deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million. Juuso Riikola, who has added depth during this injury-plagued season, becomes a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Elsewhere on the defense, Kris Letang is signed through 2021-22 and carries an average annual value of $7.25 million. Brian Dumoulin is signed through 2023-24 with an average annual value of $6 million. Jack Johnson is signed through 2022-23 with a $3.25 average annual value. Marino makes $925,000 and is under contract through 2020-21. Chad Ruhwedel is signed through 2020-21 and carries a $700,000 cap hit.