PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins' march to the Stanley Cup Finals has paid off for coach Michel Therrien, who agreed to a new three-year contract on Friday.
The deal includes a raise for next season season and goes through the 2010-11 season, expected to be the team's first in a planned $290 million arena.
"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," general manager Ray Shero said.
Therrien had one year left on his contract. Though they could have talked about an extension, Shero said 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."
The Penguins lost the Stanley Cup Finals in six games to Detroit.
Therrien had been head coach of the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton when he was hired midway through the 2005-06 season to replace Eddie Olczyk. The Penguins missed the playoffs that season, but have earned berths in Therrien's two full seasons with the team.
Therrien was a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year in 2006-07.
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