Penguins re-sign Jared McCann through 2022

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Friday afternoon that the club has signed third-line center and pending restricted free agent Jared McCann to a two-year contract that runs through the 2021-22 season and holds an average annual value of $2.94 million. 

Acquired by the Penguins from the Florida Panthers in February 2019, McCann tallied career highs in assists (21), points (35), power-play goals (2), power-play assists (4) and power-play points (6) in 66 games during the 2019-20 campaign that was halted on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

As Seth Rorabaugh wrote for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last month, though, the 24-year-old has often been a mixed bag during his Pittsburgh tenure: 

A gifted skater who can forecheck and put heavy shots on net, McCann appears to have the base elements to be a successful player within coach Mike Sullivan’s system. But he’s been largely inconsistent throughout parts of two seasons in Pittsburgh. Those inconsistencies led to him being a healthy scratch for one game in the playoffs this month. 

Capable of playing center, McCann is probably a better fit on the left wing. Given that he is one of only two pending restricted free agents coming off a seven-figure salary, McCann’s next deal will carry a heavy price tag. The Penguins seem comfortable with McCann returning, but they could very well opt to trade him to avoid a salary cap crunch and to restock their pool of future assets.