One of the Penguins’ more surprising players in 2020-21 has joined the Minnesota Wild.

Forward Frederick Gaudreau, who broke through as a steady presence in the Penguins’ lineup after opening the 2020-21 season on the fringes, signed a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $1.2 million.

The deal is a considerable upgrade in job security and pay for Gaudreau who joined the Penguins during the 2020 offseason on a one-year, two-way contract worth a league minimum $700,000.

Opening the 2020-21 campaign on the taxi squad, Gaudreau, 28, was moved between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL), the NHL roster and the taxi squad in a series of transactions geared toward day-to-day management of the salary cap before making his Penguins debut in mid-March.

Appearing in 19 NHL games last season, Gaudreau scored 10 points (two goals, eight assists). During the postseason, Gaudreau was primarily deployed on the third line and collected three points (one goal, two assists) in six games.

With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the right-handed Gaudreau (6-foot, 179 pounds) played in six games and scored four points (one goal, three assists).

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