Early this morning, I said that the Penguins and Matt Cooke were close to reaching a contractual agreement which would return the key LW to the team and keep him from unrestricted free agency.
True to form, just hours later, the team announced they signed Cooke to a 3-year deal.
The total value of The Cookie Monster's new contract is 5.4 million dollars, which is a very agreeable 1.8 million per season. That amount is pretty much in the mid-range of what Pittsburgh was reportedly offering ($1.5 million per) and what Cooke felt he would get on the open market (just in excess of about $2 million per).
All in all, a solid deal for Pittsburgh. Great to have #24 back in the fold, doing what he does best in black and gold.
Meanwhile, the National Hockey League released it's full 2010 schedule today, highlighted by none other than New Year's Day Winter Classic hosted by the Penguins at Heinz Field against the Washington Capitals.
As I mentioned earlier, the Pens open up the season at home, christening the new Consol Energy Center by having the Philadelphia Flyers visit.
Other schedule highlights include:
- Two games each against the Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Phoenix Coyotes.
- The longest road trip is a 5-gamer, in late February and into early March, and features rare back-to-back road games against the same opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Consecutive contests on consecutive days before that trip on 2-20 and 2-21 on the road against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, then at home against the Washington Capitals.
-14 games in 28 days in February.
- No homestand longer than 3 games.
- Ending the season with 4 of 5 on the road, including one on the final afternoon of the regular season in Atlanta against the Thrashers
More soon.
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