Ryan Johansen, Predators reach eight-year, $64 million contr
Posté: Lun Juil 31, 2017 10:39 amNASHVILLE, Tenn. -- General manager David Adidas Authentic Anton Forsberg Womens Jersey Poile has made it clear he's been looking for a top center since first hired to build the Nashville Predators 20 years ago. He believes he has just that in Ryan Johansen, and that's why the Predators rewarded the 24-year-old center Friday with an eight-year, $64 million contract. It's the biggest deal the franchise has ever handed out. "I think he is ready to take that next step to become an elite player in the National Hockey League," Poile said. "Your actions say volumes about what you and how you feel, how this is the longest contract that we've ever given out since I've been here. Eight years, the money is significant, but we feel we got the right man to be our No. 1 center for a lot of years." The http://www.authenticcolumbusbluejackets.com/authentic-anton-forsberg-jersey Predators now have Johansen under contract at an average of $8 million a year through the 2024-25 season, and linemates Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson are signed for the next five years after Arvidsson signed a seven-year, $29.75 million deal last weekend.
Poile said that was the goal this offseason. "We got our whole core signed up for a lot of guys for a lot of years, and I hope we've chosen correctly," Poile said for a team that lost the Stanley Cup in six games to Pittsburgh in June. "I believe we've chosen correctly." Johansen, who turns 25 Monday, tied for the lead in scoring with 61 points (14 goals, 47 assists) over 82 games this season. He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 14 playoff games this spring before acute compartment syndrome ended his postseason in the Western Conference final. Johansen said he is fully recovered and working on conditioning with the team's strength coach. Nashville traded for Johansen in January 2016, swapping Adidas Authentic Kyle Turris Womens Jersey defenseman Seth Jones to Columbus for the young center. He is one of five NHL players with at least 45 assists in each of the past three seasons, along with Sidney Crosby, Nicklas Backstrom, Ryan Getzlaf and Erik Karlsson. Johansen says he tried to embrace the challenge of proving in the Predators' run to their first Stanley Cup Final that he is a top center and sees Nashville as the place where he belongs. "Just the class that they've shown with myself and committing and trusting me and believing in me for these next eight years is just so humbling and so excited for the next chapter, which is coming up fast with the short summer," Johansen said. This leaves only one big decision remaining for Nashville. Captain Mike Fisher, 37, is expected to decide within the next week whether he wants to return or retire. ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Markov, 38, was http://www.authenticottawasenators.com/authentic-kyle-turris-jersey the longest-tenured player on the team and an alternate captain last season. The two-time All-Star had six goals and 36 points and was plus-18. "On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Andrei for his great contributions during his 16 seasons as a proud member of the Montreal Canadiens," team president and CEO Geoff Molson said in a statement. "Arguably one of the best defensemen in franchise history, Andrei was a model of dedication to the great game of hockey. A respected figure around the league and among his teammates, "Andrei demonstrated leadership both on and off the ice. Andrei's commitment to our franchise was second to none, proven by his overcoming three serious and potentially career-ending injuries. I would like to wish Andrei the best of luck in the next step of his career, and happiness with his family." Markov was taken in the sixth round of the Adidas Mitchell Marner Womens Jersey 1998 draft by Montreal after establishing himself in Russia. Since playing 14 games in the AHL in 2000-01, he has been a consistent presence on Montreal's blue line. "I've always been treated well," Markov said. "I'm proud to have been a Canadiens player for 16 years." Markov is coming off a three-year deal that carried a $5.75 million salary-cap hit last season. When the Canadiens signed veteran defenseman Mark Streit this week, it appeared that Markov was out of their plans. "I didn't see myself with any other NHL team," Markov said. "I didn't see myself wearing another jersey." In February, Markov brought his twin sons from Russia to Montreal after their mother and his former partner died of cancer. Earlier this month, Markov married Sonya Sonechka in Russia, and the ceremony was attended by former teammate P.K. Subban. OSTON -- The Bruins and center Ryan Spooner http://www.authentictorontomapleleafs.com/authentic-mitchell-marner-jersey avoided arbitration on the day of their hearing, agreeing to a one-year, $2,825,000 deal on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Spooner became a restricted free agent on July 1, after finishing a two-year contract that was worth $950,000 per season. Spooner said he didn't want to go through the hearing because it's "not a pleasant thing" and he didn't think the Bruins wanted to participate, either. He's the 24th player to settle this summer without a hearing after filing for arbitration. Spooner can be a restricted free agent again next summer. "For me, I'm going to spin that into a positive and say that I'm going to take that as a challenge to have a good year and show that I can be the player that they want me to be," Spooner said during a conference call. "And then on the [other] side too, it kind of just shows that they need to see a little bit more out of me as a player. There's a lot of things that I can also bring to the table that I need to work on."
Poile said that was the goal this offseason. "We got our whole core signed up for a lot of guys for a lot of years, and I hope we've chosen correctly," Poile said for a team that lost the Stanley Cup in six games to Pittsburgh in June. "I believe we've chosen correctly." Johansen, who turns 25 Monday, tied for the lead in scoring with 61 points (14 goals, 47 assists) over 82 games this season. He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 14 playoff games this spring before acute compartment syndrome ended his postseason in the Western Conference final. Johansen said he is fully recovered and working on conditioning with the team's strength coach. Nashville traded for Johansen in January 2016, swapping Adidas Authentic Kyle Turris Womens Jersey defenseman Seth Jones to Columbus for the young center. He is one of five NHL players with at least 45 assists in each of the past three seasons, along with Sidney Crosby, Nicklas Backstrom, Ryan Getzlaf and Erik Karlsson. Johansen says he tried to embrace the challenge of proving in the Predators' run to their first Stanley Cup Final that he is a top center and sees Nashville as the place where he belongs. "Just the class that they've shown with myself and committing and trusting me and believing in me for these next eight years is just so humbling and so excited for the next chapter, which is coming up fast with the short summer," Johansen said. This leaves only one big decision remaining for Nashville. Captain Mike Fisher, 37, is expected to decide within the next week whether he wants to return or retire. ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Markov, 38, was http://www.authenticottawasenators.com/authentic-kyle-turris-jersey the longest-tenured player on the team and an alternate captain last season. The two-time All-Star had six goals and 36 points and was plus-18. "On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Andrei for his great contributions during his 16 seasons as a proud member of the Montreal Canadiens," team president and CEO Geoff Molson said in a statement. "Arguably one of the best defensemen in franchise history, Andrei was a model of dedication to the great game of hockey. A respected figure around the league and among his teammates, "Andrei demonstrated leadership both on and off the ice. Andrei's commitment to our franchise was second to none, proven by his overcoming three serious and potentially career-ending injuries. I would like to wish Andrei the best of luck in the next step of his career, and happiness with his family." Markov was taken in the sixth round of the Adidas Mitchell Marner Womens Jersey 1998 draft by Montreal after establishing himself in Russia. Since playing 14 games in the AHL in 2000-01, he has been a consistent presence on Montreal's blue line. "I've always been treated well," Markov said. "I'm proud to have been a Canadiens player for 16 years." Markov is coming off a three-year deal that carried a $5.75 million salary-cap hit last season. When the Canadiens signed veteran defenseman Mark Streit this week, it appeared that Markov was out of their plans. "I didn't see myself with any other NHL team," Markov said. "I didn't see myself wearing another jersey." In February, Markov brought his twin sons from Russia to Montreal after their mother and his former partner died of cancer. Earlier this month, Markov married Sonya Sonechka in Russia, and the ceremony was attended by former teammate P.K. Subban. OSTON -- The Bruins and center Ryan Spooner http://www.authentictorontomapleleafs.com/authentic-mitchell-marner-jersey avoided arbitration on the day of their hearing, agreeing to a one-year, $2,825,000 deal on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Spooner became a restricted free agent on July 1, after finishing a two-year contract that was worth $950,000 per season. Spooner said he didn't want to go through the hearing because it's "not a pleasant thing" and he didn't think the Bruins wanted to participate, either. He's the 24th player to settle this summer without a hearing after filing for arbitration. Spooner can be a restricted free agent again next summer. "For me, I'm going to spin that into a positive and say that I'm going to take that as a challenge to have a good year and show that I can be the player that they want me to be," Spooner said during a conference call. "And then on the [other] side too, it kind of just shows that they need to see a little bit more out of me as a player. There's a lot of things that I can also bring to the table that I need to work on."