July 18, 2008 | 2:40pm ET
Penguins sign Therrien to extension TheFourthPeriod.com
The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with head coach Michel Therrien on a new three-year contract extension.
"Michel has done a tremendous job with our team over the past two-and-a-half seasons, developing our young players while leading us to division and conference championships and the Stanley Cup finals," said Penguins GM Ray Shero.
"He had one year remaining on his previous contract, and we could have simply talked about an extension. But we thought that, based on the success we've had together, it was time to negotiate a new deal, starting with an increase in compensation for the 2008-09 season."
In 2007-08, Therrien led the Penguins to a 47-27-8 record during the regular-season His team won the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference championships, and advanced to the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit. It marked the Penguins' first division title since 1997-98 and their first berth in the Cup finals since 1991-92.
"I'm excited to have a new three-year contract with the Penguins and am looking forward to continued success here in Pittsburgh," Therrien said. "It is a great hockey city with an outstanding fan base. All of our players comment on how much they love playing in Pittsburgh, and I can tell you that our coaches love coaching in Pittsburgh.
"We still have a lot of work to do, though, because we fell short of our biggest goal last season. Our goal is, and always will be, to win the Stanley Cup."
Therrien, 44, was named head coach of the Penguins on Dec. 15, 2005.
