Pens sign Mark Eaton

The Penguins signed their first free agent Monday when they agreed to a two-year contract with defenseman Mark Eaton.

Eaton, 29, spent the past five seasons with the Nashville Predators, where Ray Shero worked in the front office before becoming the Penguins new general manager.

Eaton, who played in 69 games last season, will be used to upgrade the Penguins penalty-killing unit, which ranked among the worst in the NHL last season. Eaton led all Predators players in blocked shots and was seventh in the NHL in short-handed ice time per game.

Eaton, 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, has appeared in 313 career games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Predators. He has 16 goals and 31 assists.

In another move, Andre Savard, a front office executive with the Montreal Canadiens, has joined the Penguins as an assistant coach.

Savard, 53, has 20 years of experience in coaching, scouting and player development. After joining the Canadiens in 2000, Savard worked as director of hockey personnel and was the team's general manager for two-plus seasons. He spent the past three years as the Canadiens' assistant general manager.

Savard played 12 seasons in the NHL, then worked in the front office for the Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Senators before joining the Canadiens.

Savard will join Mike Yeo as assistants on coach Michel Therrien's staff