Despres Re-Signs With Penguins

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Simon Despres re-signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins today.

From the Penguins website:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed defenseman Simon Despres to a two-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford. 

The deal runs through the 2015-16 campaign and has an average annual value of $900,000.

Despres was drafted by the Penguins with the 30^th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. The Laval native has appeared in 85 NHL regular season games, recording three goals and 13 assists. He has gone pointless in six post-season games.

Last season, the 2011 QMJHL Defenseman of the Year registered five assists in 34 games with Pittsburgh. In 36 games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins he registered six goals and 16 assists and another two goals and seven assists in 17 playoff games.

The Penguins organization has seen quite a few changes this off-season and some of them could benefit Despres. From The Score:

With the departures of Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen via free agency, Despres is expected to challenge for a regular roster spot come training camp in September, especially given the changing of the guard among the team's coaching staff. 

Despres played in 240 career regular season (25 goals and 109 assists) and 58 post-season games (six goals and 33 assists) with Saint John over four seasons.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation