NHL notebook: Sharks lock up Couture on eight-year deal

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NHL: Stanley Cup Final-Pittsburgh Penguins at San Jose Sharks
Jun 12, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second period of game six of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

July 1, 2018

The San Jose Sharks are reportedly locking up one of the cornerstones of their franchise for almost another decade.

According to multiple reports Saturday, the club and star forward Logan Couture agreed on an eight-year contract extension that will keep the Canadian in Northern California through the 2026-27 season.

Couture, 29, will play the final year of his current five-year, $30 million contract next season, and then the new deal will kick in. That deal is reportedly worth $64 million over eight years.

A first-round pick by the Sharks in 2007, Couture has said he never wants to leave San Jose. He has 437 points (213 goals, 224 assists) with a plus-57 in 582 career games. Last season was one of his best, as he scored a career-high 34 goals while adding 27 assists.

–The Winnipeg Jets traded goalie Steve Mason, forward Joel Armia, a 2019 seventh-round pick and a 2020 fourth-rounder to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Simon Bourque.

The Canadiens placed Mason, 30, on buyout waivers shortly after acquiring him, saving the team about $1.4 million over two seasons.

Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said earlier this week he was trying to free up cap space as the team looks to re-sign center Paul Stastny, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. Starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck is due to become a restricted free agent on Sunday on the heels of a breakout season that saw him finish second in voting for the Vezina Trophy.

–Defenseman Mike Green agreed to a two-year, $10.75 million deal to remain with the Detroit Red Wings, according to multiple reports.

Green was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday.

The 32-year-old had 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 66 games last season. His season was cut short by a neck injury that required surgery. Green is expected to be healthy by the start of training camp.

–The Carolina Hurricanes signed the No. 2 overall draft pick, Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov, to a three-year, entry-level deal worth an average of $925,000 annually.

Svechnikov, 18, tore up the Ontario Hockey League last season, totaling 40 goals and 32 assists in 44 games with the Barrie Colts. A year earlier, he had 29 goals and 29 assists for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, earning the league’s rookie of the year honor.

When discussing Svechnikov prior to the draft, Carolina general manager Don Waddell said the youngster would go straight to the NHL if the Hurricanes were able to draft him, saying, “He’s 18, but he’s physically built, he’s 6-foot-3, strong. There’s no reason to expect he can’t come in (right away).”

–Forward Ryan Reaves agreed to re-sign with the Vegas Golden Knights on a two-year deal, according to a report from TSN, after drawing interest from the Flames, Rangers and Canucks.

Reaves, 31, provided a physical presence for Vegas as it won the Western Conference and reached the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season. He notched two assists and had 10 penalty minutes in 21 regular-season games after the Golden Knights acquired him Feb. 23 from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the postseason, Reaves had the series-clinching goal in the Western Conference finals against the Winnipeg Jets and the game-tying goal in a Game 1 win in the finals against the Washington Capitals.

–The New Jersey Devils re-signed backup goaltender Eddie Lack to a one-year, $650,000 contract, the team announced.

The 30-year-old Lack was acquired from the Calgary Flames in December. He went 1-2-0 with a 3.18 goals-against average in four games with the Devils and 6-7-2 with a 2.90 GAA in 16 games with Binghamton of the American Hockey League.

Lack provides insurance as top goalie Cory Schneider recovers from hip surgery. Keith Kinkaid is expected to open the 2018-19 season as the starter.

–The Minnesota Wild have placed forward Tyler Ennis on buyout waivers, according to reports.

Ennis, 28, was set to make $3.65 million next season, but the Wild will save about $2.4 million with the move.

He had eight goals and 14 assists in 73 games last season, his first with the Wild after eight years in Buffalo.

–Field level Media

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