Penguins, Patric Hornqvist reportedly agree to 5-year, $26.5M extension

Patric Hornqvist, one of the leading scorers on the Penguins' back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams the past two seasons, has reportedly agreed to a five-year extension with the team.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the deal is worth $5.3 million per season. Hornqvist will make $4.75 million this season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent at season's end.

The 31-year-old native of Sweden has been a cornerstone of the Penguins' line since arriving from Nashville in 2014. He averaged 23 goals and 49 points the past three years. The forward has 17 goals and 32 points in 51 games this season.

Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said earlier Tuesday he rarely reaches contract terms with a player in midseason.

"Over my career, I've done very few contracts in the middle of the year," Rutherford said (via the Post-Gazette). "I think it says a lot about what Patric Hornqvist means to us to do this now. ... If everything goes well, the deal should be done tomorrow."

Rutherford said Monday afternoon that the Pens (36-23-4) have acquired Josh Jooris from Carolina. The forward, who has played for five NHL teams since the start of the 2015-16 season, has three goals and six points in 31 games for the Hurricanes this year. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.