Valtteri Puustinen showed this past season that he could be counted on to fill a regular role in Pittsburgh. Now the winger is getting a chance to build on that.
The Penguins on Friday announced that they had signed Puustinen, a Group 6 free agent, to a two-year contract worth $775,000 per season at the NHL level.
It’s an opportunity for Puustinen to be part of the team’s youth movement. And for the Penguins, it is a low-cost signing that comes with little — if any — risk.
The 24-year-old split last season between the NHL and the American Hockey League. He finally claimed a permanent spot in Pittsburgh after Jake Guentzel was injured in February. He finished the season with five goals and 20 points in 52 games. He was a plus-4 and averaged just under 12 minutes per game.
In addition to his contributions on the score sheet, the 5-foot-9, 183-pound right winger garnered praise from coach Mike Sullivan for his work on the forecheck and efforts to improve his conditioning, enabling him to play with more pace.
Puustinen, a former seventh-round pick, has been selected to represent Finland at the IIHF world championship in Czechia. The tournament begins Friday.
He is the second pending free agent to get a new contract from the Penguins this offseason. Sam Poulin, another forward, also received a two-year deal.
Among their remaining restricted free agents are Jack St. Ivany and Pierre-Olivier Joseph.
Matt Vensel: mvensel@post-gazette.com and @mattvensel on X
First Published: May 10, 2024, 4:01 p.m.