Biddeford native Brian Dumoulin is remaining a Pittsburgh Penguin for the foreseeable future.
Dumoulin, a defenseman who has played in all 49 of the team’s Stanley Cup Playoff games during its two-year championship run, has agreed to a new six-year deal, the team announced Monday.
The deal, which carries an average annual value of $4.1 million, means the parties will avoid salary arbitration. The contract begins with the 2017-2018 season and runs through 2022-2023.
“We’re happy it’s settled,” Dumoulin’s agent, Lewis Gross, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by phone on Monday morning after the deal was announced. “Brian’s thrilled to be there for the next six years. We’re happy we avoided having to go to hearing.”
Following Pittsburgh’s 2016 championship, Dumoulin brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown.
The 25-year-old Dumoulin averaged 21 minutes, 59 seconds of ice time, the most of any Pittsburgh skater, during the 2017 playoffs. He has tallied three goals and 11 assists over 49 playoff games.
One of those assists came on the game-clinching, empty-net goal in Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup final against Nashville.
Dumoulin also scored what proved to be the game-winner in Game 6 of the 2016 finals against San Jose.
In 163 NHL games, Dumoulin has registered two goals and 31 assists, and was fourth on Pittsburgh last season with 99 blocked shots.
Dumoulin, who played three years at Boston College prior to turning pro, was acquired by the Penguins from the Carolina Hurricanes in 2012. Carolina had drafted him in the second round in 2009.
The 6-foot-4, 207-pound Dumoulin partnered with Kris Letang for much of the playoff run on the team’s top defensive pairing.
His first full NHL season came in 2015-16 when he accumulated 16 assists in 79 regular-season contests.