Ducks C Henrique signs five-year deal
With a few key players set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, Anaheim general manager Bob Murray ensured his biggest pickup from the past season won’t be playing on anexpiring contract.
The team announced they’ve locked up center Adam Henrique for five more years. Henrique’s extension is worth $29.12 million and contains an average annual value of $5.82 million.
Henrique, 28, a native of Brantford, Ontario, was acquired by the Ducks Nov. 30 in a trade with the New Jersey Devils.
Defenseman Sami Vatanen, an integral cog on the power play, was shipped to New Jersey in the deal, but Henrique’s arrival immediately paid dividends.
He began his Ducks career with a five-game point streak and had 20 goals and 16 assists in 57 games with Anaheim.
Henrique quickly gave the squad a reliable third scoring unit, and coach Randy Carlyle credited Henrique’s leadership as one of the main reasons linemate Ondrej Kase enjoyed a breakout season.
With Ryan Kesler’s future in jeopardy (the 33year-old struggled after offseason hip surgery), Henrique gives the Ducks a bona fide top-six center to play behind captain Ryan Getzlaf.
Henrique also was a staple of both special teams units, and his eight gamewinning goals with the Ducks ranked third in the NHL.
With Henrique now signed through the 2023-24 season (he had one year left on the deal he signed with the Devils in 2013), Murray can turn his attention to goaltender John Gibson and forward Jakob Silfverberg, who are both set to reach unrestricted free agency next year.
Flames
Calgary signed forward Elias Lindholm to a sixyear contract at an average salary of $4.85 million. The 23-year-old Swede was acquired by Calgary along with defenseman Noah Hanafin in a June 23 trade that sent defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Adam Fox and forward Michael Ferland to Carolina. Lindholm had 16 goals and 28 assists in 81 games. He had 64 goals and 124 assists in 374 games over five seasons with Carolina.
Predators
Nashville signed goaltender Juuse Saros to a three-year contract and forward Ryan Hartman to a one-year deal. Both were restricted free agents who played for Nashville last season. Saros’ deal is worth a total of $4.5 million. Hartman’s contract will pay him $875,000.
Elsewhere
Police say the drowning of former NHL goalie Ray Emery does not appear suspicious. The 35-yearold whose career spanned more than a decade drowned in a harbor in Hamilton, Ontario. Police said he jumped off of a boat to go swimming and friends sought help when he didn’t resurface. Police are calling it a “case of misadventure.” Emery played for Ottawa, Chicago and Philadelphia. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013.