Kyle Dubas explains his decision to sign Penguins forward to three-year contract extension

Blake Lizotte was a solid pickup for the Pittsburgh Penguins two years ago, and while he didn't thrive in his first season with the team, he did enough to keep his full-time role for 2025/26.

Through 35 games this season, the 28-year old has 5 goals and 10 points along with a +6 differential, and with the Penguins in the thick of the playoff race with a record of 21-14-9 record, they're thrilled with his play.

So thrilled in fact, that on Monday, the team announced a three-year extension for the formerly un-drafted forward, one that will pay him $2.25 million per season between now and the end of the 2028/29 season.

After the move, Kyle Dubas talked about Lizotte and why he earned the new contract, and while he isn't putting up ridiculous point totals, it's everything else that he brings that excites the Penguins General Manager.

At this point, Lizotte is stapled to the bottom-six in Pittsburgh, but given how he's performed in the role he's been given, he's won the respect and the love of the fans and the team in Pittsburgh.

Time will tell if this deal ages well for the Penguins, but given how many young kids they've got coming through the lineup, having a veteran like Lizotte with 414 NHL games under his belt in the bottom-six should be a good move for the coming years in Pittsburgh.

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