Ville Koivunen The Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing back restricted free agent forward Ville Koivunen, and it’s a big number — at least in term. The team announced Thursday it has signed Koivunen to an eight-year deal with an AAV of $4 million.
Eight years is currently the longest term allowed under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement. The deal runs through the 2033-34 season.
Koivunen, 23, was part of the return from Carolina in the Jake Guentzel trade at the 2024 trade deadline. He has struggled to establish himself as an NHL player.
He has two goals, 14 points in 47 NHL games over the past two seasons. That includes both of his goals and five assists in 39 games last season.
Koivunen has spent most of his time in the Penguins organization with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, where he has 34 goals, 96 points in 97 games. The Penguins, pretty obviously, are showing a considerable amount of confidence that Koivunen will translate his AHL success into a spot on the NHL roster — something that was made harder by an offseason that has left the team with a glut of forwards.
As the salary cap rises in coming seasons, Koivunen could be a good deal at $4 million per season — whether as a cog for the Penguins or perhaps as a trading chip.