Penguins retain Schultz with 3-year deal worth $16.5M

The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed restricted free-agent defenseman Justin Schultz to a three-year contract worth $16.5 million, with an annual average value of $5.5 million, the team announced.

Schultz was in the odd situation of possessing RFA status at the beginning of the 2017 offseason. The defenseman was an unrestricted free agent last summer after not being given a qualifying offer by the Penguins. He eventually re-signed with the team and enjoyed a breakout 2016-17 campaign.

He scored 12 goals and added 39 assists in 78 regular-season games. He replaced the injured Kris Letang as the team's No. 1 defenseman in the second half of the season and through the playoffs. He scored four goals and totaled 13 points through 21 postseason games en route to the Stanley Cup, despite missing part of the Penguins' third-round series against the Ottawa Senators due to an upper-body injury.

Schultz will enter his sixth NHL season with 160 points in 344 regular-season games. He has added 17 points in 36 postseason games while helping the Penguins win consecutive Stanley Cups.

Criticized for poor defensive play during his three-plus seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Schultz operated at a Corsi For percentage of 51.2 last season, his second consecutive year with a positive possession rate.