Teams continued to lock in their defensemen on Friday -- after Pittsburgh re-upped with Olli Maatta and Tampa Bay locked in Braydon Coburn, the Preds announced they signed Anthony Bitetto to a two-year, $1.225 million extension.
Bitetto, 25, will now carry a $612,500 cap hit through 2018.
Having come into this season largely as a depth defenseman, Bitetto’s become a lineup fixture in the wake of Seth Jones-Ryan Johansen trade, and the Victor Bartley move to Montreal. The spots vacated have allowed Bitetto to appear in each of Nashville’s last 11 games -- all told, he’s appeared in 17 contests this season, averaging 12:03 TOI per night.
Bitetto usually appears on Nashville’s third pairing alongside Barret Jackman, though he has platooned in and out with Petter Granberg, who the Preds acquired off waivers from Toronto earlier this season.