Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter (77). Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Carter signs two-year, $6.25 million deal to stay with Penguins

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 1/26/22

The Pittsburgh Penguins originally acquired veteran forward Jeff Carter from the Los Angeles Kings before the trade deadline last April, and that experiment has gone well for player and club. Carter could've hit unrestricted free agency after this season, but the Penguins have instead locked the 37-year-old down for what may ultimately be the final days of their Stanley Cup window.

Per the NHL's website, Carter has put pen to paper on a two-year contract worth $6.25 million that carries an average annual value of $3.125 million to remain with the Penguins. According to ESPN stats, Carter is currently sixth on the team with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) tallied across 36 games this season.

He's appeared in a total of 50 regular-season contests during his Pittsburgh tenure and recorded 21 goals and 16 assists.

Jeff Carter’s two-year extension with PIT has an AAV of $3.125 million — $3.25 million in the first year; $3 million in the second year — and has a full NMC in both years.
— Bobby Margarita (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 26, 2022

"Jeff's experience and versatility have made him a valuable addition to our team," Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said for the official release. "In addition to his on-ice contributions, his team-first attitude has made him a leader inside our locker room and we are happy to have him under contract for two more years."

The Penguins have been one of the league's hottest teams since early December and, as Michelle Crechiolo noted for the club's website, have won 17 of their last 19 games to climb to second place in the Metropolitan Division standings at 27-10-5. They trail the New York Rangers by just a single point.

Pittsburgh next hosts the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.

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