The Penguins on Saturday signed defenseman Juuso Riikola to a two-year contract extension. The deal runs through the 2021-22 campaign and carries an average annual value of $1.15 million.
He played in 36 games last season, lining up at left wing in four of them. He scored one goal and had six assists.
In his two NHL seasons, the Joensuu, Finland native has dressed in 73 games, scoring three goals, nine assists and 12 points with a plus-6. During his rookie season in 2018-19, the Penguins went 22-10-5 with Riikola in the lineup.
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford said he is hoping Riikola gets to play more and show the team he’s ready for a bigger role in the new season. “When he is on his game, Juuso has shown the ability to be a solid contributor for our team,” said Rutherford. “We feel he is going to take the next step forward in his development.”
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