The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed defenceman Matt Niskanen.
Niskanen scored four goals and added 17 assists in 75 games with the Penguins in 2011-12.
The team announced via twitter that it had come to terms on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.3 million.
Niskanen is slated to make $2.1 million in 2012-13 and $2.5 million the following year.
Having been set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, Niskanen just finished the final year of a two-year deal he signed with Dallas in 2010 worth an average annual value of $1.5 million.
Pittsburgh acquired Aulie from the Dallas Stars in February 2011 along with forward James Neal in exchange for defenceman Alex Goligoski.
Originally drafted by the Dallas Stars in the first round (28th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Niskanen has played 370 career NHL games over parts of five seasons with the Penguins and Stars. He has scored 21 career goals and 86 assists.
