"The Penguins today re-signed winger Ruslan Fedotenko.

It is a one-year contract worth $1.8 million dollars.

Fedotenko attracted interest from a number of teams but opted to return to the Penguins, who had signed him to a one-year, $2,250,000 contract last summer.

A few hours earlier, the Penguins signed Sewickley native Nate Guenin, a defenseman, to a one-year contract.

The deal will pay him $500,000 if he plays in the NHL, $105,000 if he plays in the American Hockey League.

Guenin could become the third Western Pennsylvania-trained player to play for the Penguins, joining Ryan Malone and Bill Thomas.

Guenin, 26, appeared in one game with Philadelphia last season but put up 14 assists in 62 games with the Flyers' American Hockey League affiliate, also based in Philadelphia.

Guenin is 6 foot 2, 210 pounds. He has played in 12 NHL games and was the New York Rangers' fourth-round draft choice in 2002.

It was not immediately known if Guenin is viewed as a potential replacement for the newly departed Rob Scuderi, or if the Penguins will look at more established defensemen such as Jay McKee.

McKee, who had the final year of his contract with St. Louis bought out earlier this week is an accomplished shot-blocker.

McKee was making $4 million with the Blues, and that kind of salary would have put him far outside the Penguins' range, but under the buyout, McKee will receive two-thirds of the amount he was scheduled to earn.

Getting that money should hold down McKee's salary requirements on his next deal, which is part of the reason he appears to be attracting interest from a number of clubs.

The Penguins also are in the market for a low-priced goalie to back up Marc-Andre Fleury, although they believe restricted free agent John Curry could handle that job, if necessary."