Well if you have not heard yet, the Anaheim Ducks have signed Chris Kunitz to a four year contract extension. The price tag? $14.9 million. The contract does not start until the 2008-2009 season. He has one year left on his current contract ($1.15 mil). Chris is a great player who works well as the tough guy/skill player for the first line. He is a proven player who I look forward to watching for the next few years.
Here are today's articles
Official Ducks announcement with audio
The Ducks announced today that they have signed left wing Chris Kunitz to a four-year contract extension (beginning in 2008-2009). Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.
“Chris has been a very important multi-dimensional player for us the last two seasons, providing skill, physical play and leadership,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “We are very pleased to have him signed prior to his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent next summer.”
Kunitz, 27, (9/26/79), played in 81 regular season games last season, scoring 25-35=60 points with 81 penalty minutes and a +23 rating. The Regina, Saskatchewan native added 1-5=6 points in 13 playoff games (missed eight games due to injury), helping Anaheim win the Stanley Cup. Over the last two regular seasons, Kunitz has scored 44-57=101 points with 150 penalty minutes and a +42 rating. He and Teemu Selanne were the only two NHL forwards last season with 25 plus goals, 80 plus penalty minutes and a +20-or-better ratin
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Orange County Register Coverage
Often overshadowed by better-known, bigger-name teammates, left wing Chris Kunitz probably didn’t receive the attention he deserved last season, when his 25 goals and 60 points made him the Ducks’ fourth-leading scorer.
The payoff came Monday, when the Stanley Cup champions signed Kunitz to a four-year contract extension worth $14.9 million.
“We have a lot of bright-lights players, and he doesn’t get much recognition,” Ducks general manager Brian Burke said. “Recognition is a four-year deal at this kind of dough. We regard Chris Kunitz as a critical player. He’s one of our Swiss Army knives. He can do almost anything on an ice rink. He’s good enough to play on the first line, tough enough to play on the fourth line, and can do almost anything in between.”
Kunitz, 27, will receive $1.15 million this season, after which he could have become an unrestricted free agent. Instead, the new pact beginning in 2008-09 calls for him to receive yearly salaries of $3.5 million, $3.6 million, $3.8 million and $4 million, with the Ducks taking an annual salary-cap hit of $3.725 million.
“When a great deal like this comes on the table, you have to jump on an opportunity to stay with a great team,” Kunitz said. “I always wanted to be in Anaheim. Obviously, the security of getting a deal done and knowing your future for a while is nice. Once you find a good fit, with the system and the coaches and the organization, it’s tough to leave something like that.”
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Here is an LA Times article on the Kunitz signing
Heading off any contractual issue before his current deal expires after the coming season, the Ducks signed left wing Chris Kunitz to a four-year, $14.9-million extension that will become effective in 2008-09.
Kunitz, 27, will make $1.15 million this season and would have become anunrestricted free agent next July if he chose to test the market. Instead, the Ducks have one of their top scorers under contract for the next five seasons.
"Chris has been a very important multidimensional player for us the last two seasons, providing skill, physical play and leadership," General Manager Brian Burke said. "We are very pleased to have him signed prior to his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent next summer."
Kunitz set career bests of 25 goals and 60 points and added a goal and five assists in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He sat out most of the Western Conference finals against Detroit because of a broken finger but returned to play in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals against Ottawa.
According to a source close to the negotiations, Kunitz will make $3.5 million in 2008-09, $3.6 million in 2009-10, $3.8 million in 2010-11 and $4 million in 2011-12.Read the rest here - Link
CBC Coverage
The Anaheim Ducks signed left-winger Chris Kunitz to a $14.9-million US, four-year contract extension on Monday.
The 27-year-old Regina native recorded 25 goals and 60 points and boasted a plus-23 rating in 81 regular-season games last season.
Kunitz also had one goal and five points in 13 playoff games during Anaheim's Stanley Cup run.
"Chris has been a very important multi-dimensional player for us the last two seasons, providing skill, physical play and leadership," Ducks general manager Brian Burke said in a statement.
"We are very pleased to have him signed prior to his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent next summer."
Kunitz's new deal goes into effect at the start of the 2008-09 NHL season.
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