Sheary agrees to three-year contract with Penguins

Conor Sheary agreed to terms on a three-year, $9 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. It runs through the 2019-20 season and has an average annual value of $3 million.

"I'm very excited with the term and the contract that I got," Sheary told the Penguins website. "I was glad we were able to work it out before arbitration. I think it took maybe a little longer than I expected. It took a big chunk out of my summer. But I was glad to get it done because it was a little stressful thinking about it. It'll be nice to kind of sit back and enjoy the rest of the summer."
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Sheary, who was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing in Toronto on Friday, had 53 points (23 goals, 30 assists) in 61 games with the Penguins last season and seven points (two goals, five assists) in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help Pittsburgh win its second straight championship.
"I liked the three-year term," Sheary said. "We talked as well about a one-year term, but I think the three-year term worked out better for myself where I could have a little security and put a three-year body of work together where I can play hockey and not worry about a contract every year. I was very happy with that."

Sheary, 25, had 10 points (seven goals, three assists) as a rookie during the 2015-16 season, then had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the playoffs to help the Penguins win the Cup.
The undrafted forward has 63 points (30 goals, 33 assists) in 105 games with the Penguins.
"I want to stay consistent with my play and trying to improve on each year," Sheary said. "I don't want to have any slumps or anything like that. I want to make sure I prove myself year in and year out. Hopefully this year I can just keep improving and stay consistent throughout the year and hopefully we can have another good year as a team."
The Penguins also avoided an arbitration hearing with defenseman Brian Dumoulin, agreeing to terms on a six-year, $24 million contract on July 24.
"We're all pretty close friends," Sheary said. "We definitely have congratulated each other. We've said some inside jokes with each other about how much money [Justin Schultz] is making or whatever it may be (three years, $5.5 million per season). But it's all in good fun and I'm happy for those guys as well."