By ,
Published February 05, 2015
Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - The Montreal Canadiens and restricted free agent defenseman P.K. Subban ended their stalemate on Saturday, as the two parties agreed to terms on a new eight-year contract.
"We are very pleased to have reached a long term agreement with P.K. Subban. This agreement helps consolidate the future of our team," said Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin. "A key element of our group of young veterans, P.K. plays with a high level of intensity every time he steps onto the ice. Despite his young age, he carries a great deal of experience and brings contagious energy to the team. Defensemen of his level are a rare commodity in the NHL."
The pact, which aims to keep the 25-year-old Toronto native with the storied franchise through the 2021-22 season, holds a reported average annual value of $9 million.
"Thank you to @canadiensmtl for making a commitment to myself and my family. Im Excited about the future!," offered Subban through his Twitter account shortly after the deal was announced.
Subban, the 2013 Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman, accumulated career-bests of 43 assists and 53 points while participating in all 82 regular-season contests last season, then contributed personal bests in points (14), assists (9) and goals (5) over 17 postseason appearances in the final year of a contract signed in January of 2013.
Nonetheless, the Canadiens and Subban remained far apart on contract talks during the offseason. Both sides eventually headed to arbitration on Friday, with multiple sources reporting the Habs requested $5.25 million and Subban's camp asked for $8.5 million on a one-year deal which would make Subban an RFA with arbitration rights once more next summer.
Since making his NHL debut during the 2009-10 campaign, Subban has compiled 42 goals and 125 assists, along with 383 penalty minutes, over 284 regular-season appearances. He has chipped in 30 points (10G, 20A) in 43 playoff games.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/habs-subban-agree-to-8-year-deal