The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman John Marino to a six-year contract extension, general manager Jim Rutherford announced Sunday.

The deal has an average annual value of $4.4 million and ties Marino, who is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, to the Penguins through the 2026-27 season.

"We are very fortunate to have a young, skilled defenseman like John in our organization," Rutherford said in a statement. "His rookie season proved he is a top-four defenseman with great hockey sense. We were impressed with his strong defensive play and look forward to watching him develop offensively."

Signed, sealed, delivered. He's ours. pic.twitter.com/SrhGF1Nbx9

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 3, 2021

Marino, 23, was a steadying force on the Penguins' blue line last season, posting six goals and 20 assists with a plus-17 rating as a rookie and finishing eighth in Calder Trophy voting. He was fourth in points among rookies in 2019-20.

The deal caps a meteoric rise for Marino, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in July 2019 in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.