Penguins announce new contract extension

While Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will have another offseason of busy work, he's taken care of one particular matter of business. 

Forward Valtteri Puustinen, whom the Penguins selected 203rd overall (Round 7) of the 2019 NHL Draft, has been re-signed to a two-year contract, keeping him with the team through the 2025-26 season with an AAV of $775,000.

Via the official press release: 

"Puustinen, 24, split the 2023-24 season between Pittsburgh and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. With Pittsburgh, the forward led all rookies with five goals, 15 assists and 20 points in 52 games played. Puustinen, who recorded an assist in his NHL debut on March 11, 2022 against the Vegas Golden Knights, has registered 21 points (5G-16A) and a plus-6 in 53 career NHL games.  

The 5-foot-9, 183-pound forward tallied five goals, eight assists and 13 points in 24 games in his third season with the WBS Penguins. In total, Puustinen has recorded 49 goals, 65 assists and 114 points in 169 career AHL games. The forward led his team in points during each of his first two seasons in the AHL in 2021-22 (42) and '22-23 (59).  

Prior to making his North American debut, Puustinen played three seasons with HPK of Liiga, Finland's top professional league, from 2018-21. In 152 career Liiga games, he tallied 48 goals, 46 assists and 94 points and won the league championship in 2019.  

The Kuopio, Finland native is currently representing his home country at his second World Championship after he previously won a silver medal in 2021. Puustinen also won a gold medal at the 2019 World Junior Championship with Team Finland. 

Puustinen was originally drafted in the seventh round (203rd overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft by Pittsburgh."

Recommended articles:

• Front-runner already emerges in potential Mitch Marner trade!
• Sheldon Keefe to be targeted by rival team as soon as Leafs get eliminated!
• Penguins make coaching change
• Sidney Crosby gives Bob Cole his own personal tribute.
• Erik Karlsson announces what's next for him