Matt Cullen signs with the Penguins for 2016-17

The Penguins veteran center has decided to return to Pittsburgh for the 2016-17 season

Matt Cullen has made his decision, and it's the Penguins. Cullen has signed a 1 year deal with the team. From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Matt Cullen to a one-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.

The deal has an average annual value of $1 million.

Cullen, 39, helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup last season, the second championship of his career. He also won a title with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound center was one of Pittsburgh’s most consistent performers in 2015-16, tallying 16 goals, 16 assists and 32 points in all 82 games. Cullen’s 16 goals were his most since 2009. He was one of just three Penguins to play all 82 games.

Cullen made up his mind to play in 2016-17, his 19th in the NHL, and was down to staying in his native Minnesota with the Wild, or back with the Penguins where he played so well last year and seemed to fit in well, obviously so since he decided to come back to Pittsburgh.

Salary cap wise, the Penguins are going to be snug to the upper limit of the cap after they place injured forward Pascal Dupuis on the long-term injury reserve. Still, all looks well being as 19 of the 20 skaters dressed from the game the Pens won the Stanley Cup in June will be back for opening night next season (with the only exception being defenseman Ben Lovejoy leaving for greener financial pastures in free agency).