From the official website:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Alex Goligoski to a three-year contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manger Ray Shero.
Goligoski, 23, was the third-leading scorer among NHL rookie defensemen in 2008-09 with 20 points in 45 games (6-14-20). He appeared in two games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, recording one assist.
The 5-11, 180-pound native of Grand Rapids, MN also played 26 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, registering two goals and 16 assists for 18 points.
"Alex is a skilled young defenseman and a tremendous skater, and we are pleased to sign him to a multi-year deal as we continue to build our young core," Shero said. "He gained some valuable experience this season and made contributions to our Stanley Cup run. He is another example of a great future here in Pittsburgh."
UPDATED: Per the Post-Gazette, the cap hit (and average salary) of the deal is $1,833,333 for the three years....A slight over-payment at first, but potentially a steal for years 2 and 3 of the contract.
I'll update with salary details when we get them, but this is a good move for the Penguins. Goligoski is a great skater and moves the puck very well. With Philippe Boucher, Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi all as unrestricted free agents, "Goose" should definitely join the NHL roster full-time.
And boy, if you were thinking that General Manager Ray Shero was sitting on his laurels or revelling in the thrills of winning the Cup you're not thinking that any longer, are you? With the draft in about a week and a half plus all these contracts expiring it's going to be a really quick turnaround.
Goligoski, while he had a good season and started to establish himself as a full-time NHL'er is an interesting first target for the Penguins. He is their only restricted free agent of note and he could have been the potential target of an offer sheet from another team....Not a likely target, but certainly a possibility. So for Shero to knock this out is a good sign.
And the length of the contract is important too: most players get 1 or 2 year deals from the Penguins. That Goose got three years is a sign that the Penguins value him, see him as a future contributer in the years to come.