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Penguins' GM Ron Hextall announced that the Pens have finalized an agreement for a two-year contract extension for goaltender, Casey DeSmith.
The contract will run through the 2023 - 24 season and carries an average annual value of $1.8 million.
See the full press release for more information!
PRESS RELEASE
Penguins Agree to Terms with Goaltender Casey DeSmith on a Two-Year Contract Extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with goaltender Casey DeSmith on a two-year contract, it was announced today by general manager Ron Hextall.
The contract runs through the 2023-24 season and carries an average annual value of $1.8 million.
DeSmith, 30, played in 26 games for Pittsburgh in 2021-22, going 11-6-5 with a 2.79 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and three shutouts. His three shutouts tied his single-season career high, originally established in 2018-19, while his save percentage was his highest since ’18-19.
DeSmith’s best outing of the season came on April 21 when he recorded 52 saves in his third shutout of the season against Boston. His 52 saves were the most in a shutout by a goaltender in Penguins history, while only four goaltenders in NHL history have made more saves in a shutout than DeSmith’s 52.
The 6-foot, 181-pound goaltender made his NHL playoff debut in Game 1 of the Penguins’ First Round series against the New York Rangers before leaving the game with an injury. In Game 1, he became the sixth NHL goaltender to make 48-plus saves in his playoff debut, joining Roberto Luongo (72), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (63), Jose Theodore (56), Jiri Crha (55) and Marc Behrend (49).
The Rochester, New Hampshire native has suited up for 96 games in his NHL career, going 43-28-11 with a 2.67 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and nine shutouts. His nine shutouts are the sixth-most in Penguins history. DeSmith set career highs in 2018-19 with 36 games played, 15 wins and three shutouts, while his best goals-against average (2.40) and save percentage (.921) came in 2017-18 when he led Pittsburgh in both categories.
DeSmith has played 103 games in the American Hockey League, all with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, from 2015-20. The goaltender has gone 57-33-8 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .913 save percentage with six shutouts. In 2016-17, he teamed up with current goaltending partner Tristan Jarry to win the AHL’s Harry “Hap” Holmes Award for the team that surrenders the fewest goals on the season.
The undrafted DeSmith played three seasons of collegiate hockey with the University of New Hampshire between 2011-14.