As many Pittsburgh Penguins fans wait for Sidney Crosby's extension, defenseman Marcus Pettersson is so eligible to be re-signed.
As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare for training camp on Sept. 18, the fanbase patiently waits for the club to announce Sidney Crosby's extension.
However, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, once general manager Kyle Dubas gets the captain's signature on a new contract, he'll shift his focus to negotiating with Swedish defenseman Marcus Pettersson.
Initially drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2014, Pettersson has patrolled the blueline in Pittsburgh since a December 2018 trade for Daniel Sprong.
During the 2023-24 season, the 28-year-old from Skelleftea, Sweden, scored a career-high 30 points thanks to four goals and 26 assists. He also skated 22:40 a night, about four minutes over his career average of 18:28.
Pettersson makes $4.02 million and could be in line for a raise as a top-four defenseman. Although he won't scare opponents with his offensive production, he is a better-than-average defender who led the team with a plus-28 rating, almost double that of the closest teammate, Drew O'Connor (plus-14).
Ultimately, Pettersson can see top-pairing minutes or skate on the second pair based on the strategy and the opponent.
Depending on how the Penguins' season pans out, Pettersson could be a hot commodity to deal away at the trade deadline, or if inked to an extension, could be a pillar for the next era of Pittsburgh hockey.
Unfortunately, his future is a major talking point among the fanbase. Many social media users don't want to overcommit to him with an expensive long-term deal, but they know he is a valuable player to have in the lineup.
Stay tuned because, once Crosby signs, the conversation will shift to Pettersson's future.
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