Canadiens sign Kostitsyn to one-year extension

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens have signed left wing Andrei Kostitsyn to a one-year, $3.25 million deal after helping the franchise reach the first round of the playoffs.

A. Kostitsyn

The club announced the deal Thursday.

The 26-year-old Kostitsyn scored 20 goals with 25 assists in 81 games for the Canadiens. He had two goals in Montreal's seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs.

Montreal general manager Pierre Gauthier said in a statement: "Andrei Kostitsyn is an important part of our group of forwards, and we are happy to have agreed to a contract extension with him."

Kostitsyn was the Canadiens' first-round pick, 10th overall, in the 2003 draft.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Canadiens sign Kostitsyn to one-year extension

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens have signed left wing Andrei Kostitsyn to a one-year, $3.25 million deal after helping the franchise reach the first round of the playoffs.

A. Kostitsyn

The club announced the deal Thursday.

The 26-year-old Kostitsyn scored 20 goals with 25 assists in 81 games for the Canadiens. He had two goals in Montreal's seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs.

Montreal general manager Pierre Gauthier said in a statement: "Andrei Kostitsyn is an important part of our group of forwards, and we are happy to have agreed to a contract extension with him."

Kostitsyn was the Canadiens' first-round pick, 10th overall, in the 2003 draft.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Blues sign defenseman Nikitin to year extension

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues continue to take care of their own players, signing defenseman Nikita Nikitin to a one-year contract extension on Thursday. Terms were not disclosed.

Nikitin, 24, just completed his first NHL season, playing in 41 games for the Blues with one goal and eight assists. He was eligible to become a restricted free agent July 1.

The 6-foot-3, 217-pound defenseman from Omsk, Russia, was originally drafted by St. Louis in the fifth round (136th overall) in the 2004 entry draft.

Nikitin joins center Patrik Berglund and defenseman Roman Polak, who recently signed contract extensions prior to becoming restricted free agents.

The Blues still have players with restricted free-agent status, including forwards T.J. Oshie, Matt D'Agostini, Vladimir Sobotka and B.J. Crombeen, as well as goalie Ben Bishop.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Canadiens sign Kostitsyn to one-year extension

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens have signed left wing Andrei Kostitsyn to a one-year, $3.25 million deal after helping the franchise reach the first round of the playoffs.

A. Kostitsyn

The club announced the deal Thursday.

The 26-year-old Kostitsyn scored 20 goals with 25 assists in 81 games for the Canadiens. He had two goals in Montreal's seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs.

Montreal general manager Pierre Gauthier said in a statement: "Andrei Kostitsyn is an important part of our group of forwards, and we are happy to have agreed to a contract extension with him."

Kostitsyn was the Canadiens' first-round pick, 10th overall, in the 2003 draft.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here