It looked liked Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin would be testing the free agency waters for the first time in his 16 year career
But late Tuesday night, Pittsburgh gave fans a sense of peace that the Penguins and Malkin agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension
Malkin will make an average annual value of $6.1 million dollars and will run through the 2025-26 campaign
Team management said they wanted to keep that core group of Malkin, Sydney Crosby and Kris Letang together.
Once the deal was finlaized GM Ron Hextall said “his hockey resume and individual accomplishments speak volumes about him as a player, and we are thrilled to watch him continues his remarkable legacy in Pittsburgh.”
Three other players have signed with the Penguins since free agency began.
A one-year deal for Goaltender Dustin Tokarski formally with the Buffalo Sabres.
Two-year contract for Defenseman Xavier Ouellet from the Montreal Canadiens .
And a three-year deal for Defenseman Jan Rutta who won back-to-back Stanely Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Rutta’s contract is the largest of these three. Worth $8.25 million
Goaltender Louis Domingue who stepped up huge for the Penugins this postseason is no longer in Pittsburgh. King Louis signed a two-year deal with the New York Rangers .