Penguins sign Dupuis, agree to extension with Malkin
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Penguins made their first free-agent signing today, agreeing to a three-year deal with forward Pascal Dupuis.
They also have worked out a contract extension for center Evgeni Malkin. Although the deal has not been finalized, it will be patterned after Sidney Crosby's contract, which means it will run five years and include an annual salary-cap hit of $8.7 million.
Dupuis' contract is believed to be worth $1.4 million per season.
Dupuis was acquired from Atlanta in the Marian Hossa deal Feb. 26, and became a valuable and versatile member of the Penguins' supporting cast.
Dupuis had two goals and 10 assists in 16 regular-season games, then added two goals and five assists in 20 playoff appearances.
Dupuis was one of 10 unrestricted free agents the Penguins had when the day began. The other nine are now officially able to entertain contract offers from the other 29 NHL teams, although the Penguins haven't ruled out trying to re-sign at least a few.
The Penguins owned exclusive negotiating rights to those players -- forwards Marian Hossa, Jarkko Ruutu, Georges Laraque, Adam Hall, Jeff Taffe and Kris Beech, defensemen Brooks Orpik and Mark Eaton and goalie Ty Conklin -- until noon, at which time the league's labor agreement gave them clearance to seek work elsewhere.
Hossa, widely regarded as the top forward available in free agency, is expected to attract a number of big-money offers, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he could receive proposals featuring an average salary of as much as $10 million.
Orpik figures to generate a lot of interest around the league, too, and some projections have him in line for offers worth $4 million or more per season.
The Penguins are allowed to coninue negotiating with those two, as well as their other free agents, and are believed to still have offers on the table.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
First published on July 1, 2008 at 11:41 am
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