I confess, I was at least somewhat surprised to learn the Penguins have signed forward Sam Poulin to a two-year extension with an AAV of $775K.
Not that 23-year-old native of Blainville, Quebec, didn’t merit an extended look. After stepping away from the game for most of the 2022-23 season to deal with personal issues, the former first-round pick and RFA-to-be enjoyed a strong season with the Baby Pens, tallying 16 goals and 31 points in 41 games to go with a sterling 18.4 shooting percentage.
It’s just that the husky 208-pounder doesn’t appear to be a favorite of coach Mike Sullivan.