The last time Rob Scuderi suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins -- on June 12, 2009, in Detroit -- he got to celebrate a Stanley Cup championship after the game.
Today -- after four seasons and another Cup title in Los Angeles -- the Pens brought him back, signing the 34-year-old to a four-year, $13.5 million deal.
According to general manager Ray Shero, Scuderi should never have been allowed to get away in the first place.
“It was a mistake to let Scuderi go on my part,” said Shero. “To have the chance at a do-over and bring Rob back, I think that’s a good day for us.”
Back in Pittsburgh, it’s hoped Scuderi can help stabilize a roster that’s loaded with offensive weapons like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, but has at times been vulnerable defensively.
“I wanted to make sure they remembered who I was, how I played and if they expected anything else,” Scuderi said today, per the Tribune-Review. “The most important thing to me was the fit, and Ray said he knew exactly what I was, and they planned to use me the same way.”