Penguins Sign Dylan Reese to One-Year Contract

[chilly666]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Dylan Reese to a one-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Reese’s contract is a two-way deal worth $600,000 at the NHL level.

Reese, a native of Upper St. Clair, Pa. joins his hometown team after spending the last three seasons in the New York Islanders organization. The 27-year-old Reese split last season between the Islanders and their top minor-league team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League (AHL).

The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Reese established NHL career highs in 2011-12 for games played (28), assists (6) and points (7) with New York. Reese also appeared in 27 games with Bridgeport, notching 15 points (2G-13A).

Reese, who was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the seventh round (209th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft, has played in 74 career NHL games with the Islanders, amassing three goals, 14 assists and 17 points.

Reese, who played his youth hockey with the Pittsburgh Hornets elite travel program, has played parts of six seasons in the AHL with Hartford, San Antonio, Syracuse and Bridgeport, accumulating 13 goals, 83 assists and 96 points in 260 games. He’s added six points (2G-4A) in 10 AHL playoff games.

Before turning pro, Reese played four seasons of college hockey at Harvard of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) from 2003-07, notching 61 points (21G-40A) in 121 games. Prior to joining Harvard, he spent two years with the now-defunct Pittsburgh Forge of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

Reese becomes the fourth player from the Pittsburgh youth hockey system to play for the Penguins organization since 2003, joining Ryan Malone (2003-08), Bill Thomas (’08-09), and Nate Guenin (’09-10).

[nyislesfan45]

Good kid, I thought he was re-signing with the Isles though.

[Isles4life]

I'm pretty disappointed that the Islanders didn't re-sign Reese. Nothing spectacular, but he's a pretty steady depth guy on the blueline. He was far better than a bunch of the other scrubs the Islanders gave regular jobs to. Good addition by Pittsburgh.