Dustin Penner is back with the Anaheim Ducks. The big left wing, who was part of the 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks team, has returned to the club, signing a one-year-contract with the club worth $2 million.
In the summer following the Stanley Cup win, Penner signed a 5-year $21.25 million offer sheet with the Edmonton Oilers. When then Ducks GM Brian Burke declined to match, the newly crowned Champion was off to Edmonton. Penner is one of only two restricted free agents to change teams in the last 16 years via an offer sheet. In his best year with Edmonton, Penner scored 32 goals and 63 points in 2009-10.
He has played the last two and a half years with the Los Angeles Kings after being traded from Edmonton at the 2011 trade deadline. He was a big part of the Kings 2012 Stanley Cup Championship scoring 11 points for the Kings on their run. However his overall time in Los Angeles has been somewhat disappointing overall. He scored just 2 goals and 14 points this season in 33 games, while counting for a $3.25 million dollar cap hit. Penner had just 17 points in 65 games in the 2011-12 season before redeeming himself with the strong playoff and earning a new contract with the Kings.
The 30-year-old has even missed games in Los Angeles as a healthy scratch in addition to spending time on the shelf with various injuries, including a pancake related back-injury.
In 522 career NHL games, Penner has 137 goals and 138 assists. He spent two seasons with Anaheim at the start of his NHL career. Penner originally signed with the Ducks as an undrafted NCAA Free Agent out of the University of Maine.
For the Ducks, Penner adds to a forward group on a team that has moved Bobby Ryan to the Ottawa Senators and awaits word on whether or not Teemu Selanne will return for one more season.
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