Penguins make strange signing, sparking mixed reactions from fans

Kyle Dubas of the Pittsburgh Penguins made a shocking long-term extension to one of the Penguins’ young forwards. The Penguins re-signed restricted free agent forward Ville Koivunen to an eight-year contract. Koivunen is 23 years old and is hoping to crack the Penguins lineup in the NHL this upcoming season.

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Penguins fans are shocked!

Dec 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) skates with the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With the cap rising, general managers may want to lock up their young stars with long-term deals. That makes sense because getting a young player for cheap is a success. The Carolina Hurricanes have done a tremendous job of doing that with contracts like Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake. But this situation is way different.

Ville Koivunen hasn’t been a consistent NHLer; he has dominated the AHL, with 13 goals and 28 assists in 34 games. Koivunen was also named AHL Player of the Month for February. In the playoffs, he was tied for second in points with nine, helping Wilkes-Barre reach the Conference finals.

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Why Penguins fans are confused

Ville Koivunen hasn’t been great in the NHL so far, so this seems like a very big gamble for Kyle Dubas, and this extension came out of nowhere. Koivunen hasn’t played 50 games and is getting an eight-year contract. General managers don’t typically take this type of gamble unless they are NHL-proven. Completely different here.

For Koivunen, the pressure to perform is immense; if he fails to deliver, this contract could quickly become a significant liability for the Penguins. The scrutiny on Dubas will intensify, as fans and analysts alike will question his decision to take such a substantial risk on a young player who has yet to demonstrate his potential at the NHL level. The stakes are high, and Koivunen must rise to the occasion to justify this long-term commitment.

Penguins fans have the right to be scratching their heads on this huge gamble. This is the biggest surprise of the offseason on Pittsburgh’s end. They didn’t have an elite offseason, but this type of move from Dubas can certainly trend their grade down from what was already just an okay offseason. 

Something to note on this contract—if the Pens buy him out in summer 2028, they’ll be on the hook for 12 seasons, but the cap hit will never exceed $750K 

Moreover, this decision raises questions about the team’s long-term strategy and whether it aligns with their goals for the upcoming season. Fans are left wondering how this gamble will impact the roster’s chemistry and performance.

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