Evan Rodrigues Gets a Raise from Penguins; 1 Year for $1 Million

Little risked, but perhaps a bigger reward. Spunky forward Evan Rodrigues, who can play all three forward positions for the Pittsburgh Penguins, signed a new one-year, $1 million deal with the team.

TSN’s Darren Dreger first reported it. Confirmed by our friends at PuckPedia.com.

The Penguins acquired Rodrigues from the Buffalo Sabres with winger Conor Sheary at the 2020 NHL trade deadline. Rodrigues did not appear in any of the four 2020 “bubble” playoff games in Toronto. The Pittsburgh Penguins traded the 28-year-old forward’s rights to Toronto as part of the Kasperi Kapanen acquisition, but Toronto declined to offer Rodrigues a $2 million qualifying offer.

As a free agent, Rodrigues signed with the Penguins last offseason.

Last season, Rodrigues was a valuable forward who substituted at center when the Penguins were depleted down the middle and on various wings as injuries befell the Penguins roster.

Last season, Rodrigues scored 14 points, including seven goals in 35 games. He, too, battled injuries. Last season, he made only $700,000, so the new contract represents a 42% raise for the 5-foot-11, 184-pound forward.

It was the first deal the Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Wednesday and did so before the official start of free agency at noon.