Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury reached an agreement on a $23 million contract extension Wednesday that will keep the goaltender with the team through the 2018-19 NHL season.   

General manager Jim Rutherford confirmed the new deal through the team's official site. He also explained why the Penguins remain committed to the first overall selection of the 2003 NHL draft.

"I believe in Marc-Andre Fleury, as the team does," Rutherford said. "He's won before and he will win again. We're very pleased to have him signed long term."

Fleury is the leader of many key goaltending categories in team history. The new contract comes after a red-hot start to the new campaign as he sports a 1.89 goals-against average and .931 save percentage with three shutouts in nine games.

Agreeing to the extension now still comes as a bit of a surprise, though. Fleury has struggled during the team's recent playoff runs, often taking a large portion of the blame for a team otherwise stacked with talent. The Penguins could have waited until after the season to make a decision.

They didn't, which has led to plenty of comments similar to the ones made by Harrison Mooney of the Vancouver Sun:

By giving Fleury a new deal that pays him nearly $6 million a season, Pittsburgh obviously remains fully committed to the 29-year-old netminder. Playoff performance will ultimately determine whether the Pens get their money's worth.