Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Matt Nieto to 2-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Matt Nieto to a two-year contract worth $900,000 a season. At 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, Nieto brings depth to the Pens’ wing. This will be Nieto’s third team in the NHL after spending time with the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche through ten seasons, having swapped between the two twice.

Nieto was a deadline acquisition for the Colorado Avalanche last season as they attempted to go on a deep playoff run, but unfortunately, their run was cut short. He finished the season with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points through 81 games between the two teams. He is a consistent 20-30 point scorer and has always provided solid play in a depth role for contending teams.

Nieto was drafted 47th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2011 NHL Entry draft and made his NHL debut in the 2013-14 season. He spent his junior career with Boston University in the NCAA before making the jump to the professional level with the Sharks and scored 44 goals and added 58 assists for 102 points through 115 games in his time with BU.

Through ten full seasons in the NHL, Nieto has played 651 games and has scored 85 goals, and added 114 assists for 199 points, which comes out to a 0.31 points-per-game average. He has gained popularity amongst fans as a speedy and gritty hard-working winger that adds the depth scoring a team wants and needs in order to be considered a Stanley Cup contender.

Nieto has never stood out offensively by any means, but he has earned his keep with his strong defensive play and speed to be able to keep up with some of the best of the best and has been used as a player that coaches put up against offensive lines to shut them down.

Nieto’s Fit With The Penguins

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons, so they will be looking to change things up and make it back to the playoffs next season. Nieto plays the depth role well, and it was evident wherever he played. He easily translated his game from the NCAA to the NHL and hasn’t slowed down since.

Nieto is exactly the kind of player a contending team would want. He was brought in as a piece to help the Avalanche with a Stanley Cup run, so the Penguins will be hoping he can give them just enough of a push to get them back into contention. The Penguins don’t have many strong prospects in their pipeline ready to go for next season, and they aren’t willing to rebuild with their core there for only a couple more seasons, so this is a smart veteran signing to help try and push them over the hump.

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Lars Eller scored the Capitals’ Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2018. Now, he is joining the Caps’ biggest rival: the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On the first day of free agency, Eller signed a two-year deal with the Pens that will pay the Danish center $2.45 million annually.

The Penguins have agreed to terms with forward Lars Eller on a two-year contract.

The contract will run through the 2024.25 campaign and carries an average annual value of $2.45 million. pic.twitter.com/FfX6UKVYEM

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 1, 2023

Here’s me imagining Lars signing his deal with Pittsburgh.

Eller’s career year came in 2017-18 when he scored a career-high 18 goals during the regular season. He chipped in seven huge goals and 18 points in 24 playoff games, helping lead the franchise to its first Stanley Cup. His Game Five game-winning goal is the stuff of legend.

Since that special season, injury and age has caught up to Lars as he posted his worst full season in 2022-23 since his rookie year in 2010-11. In 84 games with the Capitals and Avalanche, Eller scored 10 goals and collected 23 points. At the trade deadline, the Capitals dealt Eller for a second-round pick in 2025. Eller went pointless in seven postseason games with the Avs.

If Eller can remain healthy and viable, he will accomplish something that only 357 players in their careers have accomplished. Eller can reach the 1,000 games milestone with 46 more games played

Penguins Agreed to Terms with Forward Lars Eller on a Two-Year Contract

The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with forward Lars Eller on a two-year contract, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas.

The contract will run through the 2024-25 campaign and carries an average annual value of $2.45 million.

Eller, 34, spent the 2022-23 season with the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche. He tallied 16 points (7G-9A) in 60 games with Washington before being traded to Colorado where he played 24 games with the Avalanche, registering three goals, four assists and seven points.

Eller’s best season came in 2017-18 when he recorded a career high 18 goals in 81 games with Washington. His 38 points were sixth most on Washington during the regular season. The forward had a career-high 18 points (7G-11A) during the 2018 playoffs, ranking sixth on Washington and 13th among all playoff skaters, helping the Capitals capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward was originally drafted 13th overall by St. Louis in the 2007 NHL Draft. He has played parts of the last 14 seasons with Colorado, Washington, Montreal and St. Louis, totaling 371 points (163G-208A) in 954 career games. Ellers has recorded 10-plus goals in nine seasons and 30-plus points in five seasons. In 103 career playoff games, Eller has recorded 15 goals, 34 assists and 49 points.

Penguins Associate Coach Todd Reirden coached Eller for two seasons as the head coach of Washington (2018-20).

A native of Rodovre, Denmark, Eller has represented his country at the international level at the 2008 World Junior Championship and five World Championships (2008, ’10, ’12, ’16 and ’19).