GLENDALE, Ariz. – An NHL official familiar with the deal says that the Phoenix Coyotes have agreed to a six-year contract with goalie Mike Smith that will average around $5.7 million per year.
The official requested anonymity because the contract still must be approved by the NHL.
The 31-year-old Smith had been mostly a backup before leading the Coyotes to the Western Conference finals for the first time in 2011-12, his first as Phoenix's No. 1 goalie. Smith was about to become a free agent and had been waiting for clarity on the Coyotes' ownership situation before signing.
The City of Glendale is set to vote on a lease agreement with Renaissance Sports & Entertainment on Tuesday, the last major hurdle in the group's attempt to buy the franchise from the NHL.
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