PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – As tight as they’ve been to the salary cap, the Pens signed their seventh free agent this off-season. Restricted forward Zach Aston-Reese agrees to a one-year deal worth around $1.7 million.
The 26-year-old forward played in 45 games in 2021 scoring a career-high nine goals with six assists and was a plus 10 in plus/minus. Aston-Reese played all six post-season games this past season with a goal and an assist.
A native of Staten Island, Aston-Reese signed with the Pens in March of 2017 after 31 goals and 32 assists in 38 games in his senior season at Northeastern. He was the Hockey East Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker Award finalist, but went undrafted.
Injuries have plagued his career, in 161 games Aston-Reese has 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists), a plus 30 and 71 penalty minutes.