Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin signed a six year, 24.6 million dollar extension this past week.
Pittsburgh Penguins fans have something to celebrate (aside from, you know, another cup victory) in a summer that has seen some beloved players leave their team.
The young D-man signed on for six more years of Pittsburgh hockey, and I’m a big, big fan of this deal.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Young defensemen who can play responsibly at both ends will always be a hot commodity in today’s league. Locking up a 25 year old who’s proven he can play at a mature level is fine by me.
A cap hit of 4.1 million is fair for the blue liner. As armchair GM’s, we’d all love for him to sign for 10 years at league minimum, but this isn’t NHL ’08 on Gamecube.
The Term
First off, an essential component in Dumoulin’s deal was getting it done before the arbitration hearing. A player’s contract can only last a maximum of two years if determined by an arbitrator.
Before the hearing, both parties agreed to a six year contract. So barring a trade, Brian Dumoulin will be a Pittsburgh Penguin from age 25 to 31. With two full seasons under his belt, as well as two Stanley Cups, hopefully Dumoulin’s best is yet to come.
Dumoulin’s signing also means he, Letang, Schultz, Maatta will anchor the back end for at least he next three seasons.
I’m sure it’s wonderful for Dumo to have the next 6 year’s salaries settled. On the flip side, the team just signed this athlete through the prime years of his life. Cheers all around.
The Money
This new deal sets the young rear guard’s cap hit at 4.1 million per year. He becomes the third highest paid defenseman on the team, barely edging out Olli Maatta. According to CapFriendly.com, it’s also on par with guys like Niklas Hjalmarsson and Alexei Emelin.
The cap hit might turn people off because #8 isn’t going to be potting many goals. His positioning and defensive awareness however, are what got him paid.
He played 70 games last season, was even in the +/- department (on a mediocre defensive team), and averaged more ice time than everyone except Kris Letang.
He’s like Mark Eaton, if Mark Eaton was better at hockey. Or maybe like Paul Martin, if Paul Martin crushed beers.
The Verdict
On a serious note, Dumoulin proved he was a major part of the team’s success, especially during the latest playoff run.
In the 2017 playoffs, he ranked first among Pittsburgh Penguins defensemen in average TOI with 21:59, and plus/minus with a +9. He was second in hits and blocked shots, with 43 and 48 respectively.
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Going forward, his conservative defensive style and his left handed shot ensure he’ll either slot in with Kris Letang or Justin Schultz and continue to play top end minutes.
Off the ice, fans love him.
Teammates do too.
Here’s to six more years Dumo.