| | Associated Press
DENVER -- Forward Milan Hejduk, who scored a team-high 36
goals last season, has signed a four-year, $8.8 million contract
with the Colorado Avalanche in time for the start of training camp.
| |  | |
| Hejduk |
Hejduk, 24, signed the deal Wednesday and then boarded a flight
from his native Czech Republic for Denver. He planned to report to
the opening of training camp Friday.
"I am very pleased for Milan," said Hejduk's Florida-based
agent, Jiri Crha. "Now he can go and be at training camp right
away."
Hejduk, a restricted free agent, made $690,000 last season. He
finished second to Joe Sakic on the Avalanche in scoring with 72
points while playing in all 82 regular-season games.
Crha sought a one-year contract for Hejduk, but Avalanche
general manager Pierre Lacroix wanted a long-term deal. Lacroix
offered a $1 million signing bonus and incentive bonuses.
Hejduk will be paid a base salary of $700,000 this season, along
with the signing bonus. He'll make $2 million, $2.3 million and
$2.8 million in the final three years of the contract.
"I would say Pierre Lacroix offered us a really good deal for
four years," Crha said. "That's why Milan just said, 'Well, I
want to play and prove what a good hockey player I am.' That's why
he signed. Now it's over."
Still to be settled is an agreement with forward Chris Drury,
24, also a restricted free agent. Drury, who was paid $640,000 last
season, was the Avalanche's third-leading scorer with 20 goals and
67 points.
Drury's Boston-based agent, Mark Witkin, said Wednesday he and
the Avalanche have had some discussions, but no deal has been
struck. Witkin wouldn't elaborate.
The Avalanche signed left wing Brad Larsen and defenseman Stewart Malgunas to new contracts.
Larsen, 23, has been captain of the Hershey Bears in the
American Hockey League the past two seasons, but injuries caused
him to miss 91 games during that time. Larsen totaled 13 goals and
26 assists in 52 games last season.
Malgunas, 30, was signed as a free agent. Drafted by the Detroit
Red Wings in 1990, Malgunas has played in 129 NHL games, with stops
in Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Washington and Calgary. | |
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