The 35-year-old defenseman had an NHL career-high 68 points (10 goals, 58 assists) in 78 games this season, and could have become an unrestricted free agent July 13.
"Kris epitomizes what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin," general manager Ron Hextall said. "The role he plays on our team is irreplaceable, he is a leader in our locker room, and has made countless contributions to the organization over the last 15-plus years, which includes three Stanley Cup Championships. We are thrilled to make him a Penguin for life."
Selected by Pittsburgh in the third round (No, 62) of the 2005 NHL Draft, Letang is first among Penguins defensemen in games (941), goals (144), assists (506), points (650), power-play goals (46), power-play points (247) and game-winning goals (29), and second in plus-minus (plus-100) behind Larry Murphy (plus-102).
Letang ranks third among all Penguins skaters in playoff games (149) and first among defensemen with 90 points (23 goals, 67 assists). Pittsburgh has qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in all 16 of his NHL seasons and he has won the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016, 2017).
"For me, the Penguins gave me my chance," Letang said. "They took care of me like a son. … They've always treated me like I was one of their own. When you have that feeling, sometimes it's just natural; you want to finish there. The memories that we've built as a team, it's just incredible that I have the chance to stay with that team."
The announcement comes one day after Hextall said a contract with Letang was close and that he wasn't as confident about re-signing center Evgeni Malkin, who can become a UFA on July 13. Malkin, who turns 36 on July 31, completed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV) he signed June 13, 2013.
Malkin also was part of Pittsburgh's past three Cup championships. Despite missing the first three months of this season recovering from knee surgery in June 2021, Malkin had 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 41 games. In 16 NHL seasons, his 1,146 points (444 goals, 702 assists) are third on the Penguins' all-time scoring list, behind Mario Lemieux (1,723) and Sidney Crosby (1,409). Malkin is 19 games from 1,000 in the NHL (981).
"'Geno,' we're still working on it. So, they're at a different stage right now," Hextall said Wednesday.
Goalie Casey DeSmith agreed to a two-year, $3.6 million contract with the Penguins on July 5, to avoid becoming a UFA on July 13.
