PITTSBURGH (AP) -Free agent forward Matt Cooke signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh on Saturday, replacing Jarkko Ruutu as the Penguins' primary agitator.
The Penguins also offered Ruutu a two-year contract earlier this week but he signed a three-year deal with the Ottawa Senators after free agent bidding began.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Cooke had 10 goals, 13 assists and 91 penalty minutes in 78 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals last season. Cooke, a left winger who usually plays on the penalty-killing unit, was acquired by Washington at the trade deadline for left winger Matt Pettinger.
Ruutu had six goals, 10 assists and 138 penalty minutes in 71 games with Pittsburgh and added two goals and an assist in 20 playoff games.
Cooke, who will turn 30 before next season begins, has 86 goals, 124 assists and 652 penalty minutes in 583 career games with Vancouver and Washington. He had three goals and four assists in 17 games with the Capitals.
