As expected, the first day of free agency has turned into “Black Tuesday,” for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they suffered a big hit.
It was unlikely that the Penguins would be able to sign any of their unrestricted free agents coming into Tuesday as they saw five players change addresses, headlined by longtime Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik.
Orpik signed a five-year, $27.5-million deal with the Washington Capitals after spending his entire professional career to date with the Pens.
The 33-year-old, who will be 34 by the time the 2014-15 season begins in October, reunites in Washington with assistant coach Todd Reirden, who worked with the blue line in Pittsburgh before getting fired in the regime change this offseason.
Orpik was the longest-tenured defenseman Penguins history with 703 career games since 2002-03 and served as the team’s alternate captain since 2008. But he saw his ice time decline over the past three seasons from 22:33 to 22:17 to 21:12. He also suffered an injury during the playoffs this season that kept him on the sidelines for a majority of the postseason.
Orpik wasn’t the only one to leave town though.
Winger Jussi Jokinen inked a four-year deal worth $16 million with the Florida Panthers.
Jokinen posted 57 points in 81 games last season and also posted 10 points in 13 playoff games.
Tanner Glass is also heading out of town, signing a three-year deal with the New York Rangers that will pay him an annual salary of $1.5 million per season.
Glass dressed in 67 games last season and accumulated 13 points (four goals).
Center Joe Vitale is heading out to the West Coast, having inked a three-year deal for reportedly $3.35 million with the Arizona Coyotes.
Vitale played for the Penguins for the past four seasons, posting a goal and 13 assists in 53 games last season.
Finally, defenseman Deryk Engelland signed a three-year deal with the Calgary Flames that will pay him a whopping $2.9 million per season.
Engelland had 12 points (six goals) in 56 games played last season.
The Pens lost five players in the early stages of free agency and are still awaiting defenseman Matt Niskanen to sign somewhere as well.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
