NHL notes: Rangers give Zibanejad five-year deal, Sabres re-sign Lehner
NEW YORK— The New York Rangers have signed centre Mika Zibanejad to a five-year, $26.75 million contract.
Zibanejad will count $5.35 million (all figure in U.S. dollars) against the salary cap through 2021-22 as the Rangers count on him to take on a bigger role following the trade of Derek Stepan. General manager Jeff Gorton announced the contract Tuesday morning, before the team and Zibanejad were set to go to arbitration.
The 24-year-old Swede had 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 56 games last season, his first with New York.
The Rangers acquired Zibanejad from the Ottawa Senators for Derick Brassard a year ago.
Zibanejad has 188 points in 337 NHL games with the Senators and Rangers since Ottawa drafted him sixth overall in 2011.
STREIT TALK: Defenceman Mark Streit is returning to the Montreal Canadiens to a one-year contract.
The Canadiens did not release the value of the deal, but multiple reports claim it’s worth $700,000.
Streit was selected in the ninth round, 262nd overall by the Canadiens at the 2004 NHL draft. He played his first three NHL seasons in Montreal before joining the New York Islanders as a free agent.
The 39-year-old native of Bern, Switzerland, split last season between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, amassing 27 points (six goals, 21 assists), including 13 on the power play. He added two assists in three playoff games to help the Penguins win the Stanley Cup..
LEHNER RE-SIGNS: The Buffalo Sabres have re-signed goaltender Robin Lehner, a restricted free agent, to a $4-million, one-year contract.
The team announced the deal Tuesday. Lehner was a restricted free agent.
The 26-year-old Swede showed he could stay healthy last season, setting career highs with 59 games played, 23 wins and two shutouts. He ranked third in the NHL with 1,758 saves and finished with a .920 save percentage and 2.68 goals-against average. DEVILS SIGN THREE: The New Jersey Devils have re-signed restricted free agent defenceman Mirco Mueller, forward Joseph Blandisi and goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
Re-signing Mueller for two years was the most significant move. The Swiss defender has just six points in 54 NHL games with the Sharks, but still is considered a good prospect after being a first-round pick in 2013.