Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara signed a contract that will take him through his 42nd birthday Andre Hal Jersey , and he’s already anticipating the next one.
”I believe, myself, that I’m going to be playing beyond this contract,” he said on Wednesday after agreeing to a one-year deal that will pay him at least $5 million.
”No matter how long you want to continue to play, you have to perform. You have to back up your status,” he said. ”So I know I need to go out there every night and do my job, perform and play hard and work hard and be a great example for my teammates. (The) rest of it, it will fall into place.”
A five-time All-Star who was the league’s best defenseman in 2009, Chara turned 41 this month but still leads the Bruins in time on ice with an average of 23 minutes per game. He has seven goals and 16 assists this season, his 20th in the NHL, and is the franchise’s third-leading scorer for a defenseman, behind Hall of Famers Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr.
”He’s been a dominant player this year,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said. ”He takes all of the hard matchups still, doesn’t shy away from any situations and has embraced the role that he’s kind of emerged into. … He’s indicated that he wants to perform at a high, high level Kavon Frazier Jersey , he expects to perform at a high level, and he’s backed that up.”
Chara was in the final year of a seven-year, $45 million contract that reportedly paid him $4 million this year. His new deal guarantees him $5 million but also has incentives that could pay him $1.75 million more.
”I will not be surprised if we’re sitting here (again),” Sweeney said, ”because he’s indicated he wants to continue to play.”
Sweeney conceded that Chara had leverage if he went to the free agent market. But the 6-foot-9 Bruins captain said he wanted to stay in Boston and help develop young players such as Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork.
”I believe in this team,” Chara said. ”It’s very exciting to be a part of this team. I think this team has a chance, and that’s all you can ask for. The rest of it is up to us to do on the ice. So, yeah, that was my priority, to stay in Boston, to be a Boston Bruin.”
Sweeney said Chara’s influence isn’t just on the younger players.
”It really is a ripple effect through our whole hockey club,” the GM said. ”Every player realizes the bar is set so high with a player that has accomplished as much as he has, yet he shows up every day. … At times, when we’re trying to get him off the ice Shelby Harris Jersey , he wants to be on it more. So, I think the example for excellence starts with Zdeno.”
Chara played in the Bruins’ first 68 games this season before an unspecified injury that has sidelined him since March 13. Boston has also played without Patrice Bergeron, David Backes, Rick Nash, Torey Krug, McAvoy and DeBrusk this month, but is just one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the best record in the Eastern Conference heading into Thursday night’s matchup.
”I’m so proud of the team, and what the guys have been able to do with so many guys being out of the lineup,” Chara said. ”Just a great indication that this team has a never-give-up attitude and willing to fight till the last whistle.”
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a two-year deal worth $1.6 million.
The Stanley Cup champions are making some moves with long-time fourth-line center Jay Beagle expected to leave for a lucrative, long-term contract elsewhere.
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12:45 p.m.
The Arizona Coyotes have signed All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to an eight-year contract extension that averages $8.25 million per year.
The contract, announced on Sunday, comes on the heels of a six-year, $33 million contract Ekman-Larsson signed in 2013.
The 26-year-old Swede was an All-Star for the second time in his career last season, finishing with 14 goals and 28 assists. Ekman-Larsson is second among Arizona defensemen with 102 career goals and 290 points since being selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2009 NHL draft.
Arizona also has agreed to a two-year contract with Niklas Hjalmarsson, locking up its top two defensemen.
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12:40 p.m.
Tomas Plekanec is back in Montreal after agreeing to a one-year Garett Bolles Jersey , $2.25 million deal with the Canadiens.
The contract includes an additional bonus clause valued at up to $1.25 million, the team announced shortly after the NHL’s free-agency signing period opened.
Selected in the third-round of the 2001 draft by Montreal, Plekanec spent his first 13-plus seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February. He struggled in Toronto, where he managed just two assists in 17 regular-season games, before adding two goals and four points in seven playoff games against Boston.
Overall, he has scored 232 goals and 607 points in 998 career NHL games. His 605 career points with Montreal rank 13th on the team list.
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12:38 p.m.
The St. Louis Blues have added some significant reinforcements by signing winger David Perron, center Tyler Bozak and goaltender Chad Johnson.
Perron signed a $16 million, four-year deal. Bozak got $15 million over three years. Johnson signed for $1.75 million on a one-year deal.
Perron returns to St. Louis after setting career highs with 50 assists and 66 points last season with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
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12:35 p.m.
The Carolina Hurricanes and goalie Petr Mrazek have agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.
The move was announced Sunday after longtime goalie Cam Ward agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
General manager Don Waddell says he expects ”healthy competition” for the starting position, and the Hurricanes were looking for help this offseason.
Scott Darling opened last season as the starter but lost the job to Ward, and his save percentage of .888 was the NHL’s worst. Darling enters the second year of a four-year, $16.6 million contract.
Mrazek started in Detroit but was traded to Philadelphia in February for two draft picks. He has a career record of 78-64-23 with a goals-against average of 2.66 and a .911 save percentage.
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12:30 p.m.
Jared McCann is staying with Florida.
The Panthers signed the restricted free agent center to a $2.5 million, two-year deal on Sunday. McCann had nine goals and 19 assists last season for Florida, which fell short of making the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Panthers general manager Dale Tallon says McCann’s versatility and improvement over his two years with Florida were part of the impetus for keeping him for another two seasons.
McCann came to the Panthers in the deal that sent Erik Gudbranson to Vancouver.
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12:20 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a $47.25 million, seven-year contract extension. The deal begins with the 2019-20 season.
General manager Steve Yzerman announced the contract Sunday Eddie Yarbrough Jersey , minutes after the Lightning and McDonagh were eligible to ink the extension. Tampa Bay acquired McDonagh from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. He’ll count $6.75 million against the salary cap.
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12:15 p.m.
The Dallas Stars are bringing back winger Valeri Nichushkin on a two-year, $5.9 million contract after their 10th overall pick in the 2013 draft spent the past two seasons playing in his native Russia.
The 23-year-old Nichushkin made his NHL debut as a teenager in 2013 and spent three years in Dallas. His two years in Russia were with CKSA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he had 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists) over 86 games.
This past season, Nichushkin helped the club reach the KHL championship series with nine points (three goals, six assists) in 19 playoff games.
Nichushkin has appeared in 166 NHL games, registering 64 points (23 goals, 41 assists). He was on the only two playoff teams Dallas has produced in the past 10 years in 2014 and 2016.
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12:05 p.m.
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed goaltender Cam Ward, winger Chris Kunitz and defenseman Brandon Manning.
Ward and Kunitz each signed one-year deals. Ward’s agreement is worth $3 million. Manning got a two-year deal.
In signing Ward, Chicago grabbed a veteran goalie on the first day of free agency after Corey Crawford missed most of last season with an upper-body injury.
The Blackhawks think Crawford will be ready for training camp, but upgrading their situation in net was one of their top priorities after missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
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A person with direct knowledge of the move says the Philadelphia Flyers have signed left winger James van Riemsdyk to a $35 million, five-year deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Van Riemsdyk is back with the team that picked him second overall Grayson Allen Jersey ,
