Duchene, Dustin Brown sign extensions

[ThomasTomasz]

The Colorado Avalanche agreed to terms with center Matt Duchene on a five-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.

Duchene's deal, which runs through the 2018-19 season, is worth $30 million, a source told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.

Duchene had one year and $3.5 million remaining on his current contract. He would have become a restricted free agent next offseason.

"Matt already is and will be a big part of our team's nucleus for the long term," Avalanche executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said. "We all felt that it was important for us to secure his rights for several seasons. With his great skills, speed and character, he represents the identity we want the Avalanche to be."

Duchene, 22, the third overall pick in the 2009 draft, has registered 82 goals and 193 points in four seasons with Colorado. He had 17 goals and 43 points in 48 games last season.

"In 2009, I was thrilled to have been selected by the Avalanche, my favorite team," Duchene said. "I have worn this uniform with pride in my first four professional seasons in Denver, and I appreciate the organization believing in me for the long-term future.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9489870/matt-duchene-agrees-5-year-deal-colorado-avalanche

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to an eight-year contract extension with Dustin Brown that will keep the team captain around through the 2021-22 season.

Brown's deal is worth $47 million, an annual rate of $5.875 million, a source tells ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.

Brown had one year left on his current deal. He joins nine other Kings who have been signed to long-term deals, including Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick, Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll.


The Kings also announced Thursday that Rob Blake has been hired as an assistant general manager for the team with which he starred for 14 seasons as its career leader in goals, assists and points by a defenseman.

Brown has played his entire nine-year NHL career with the Kings, helping them win their first Stanley Cup in 2012. He is the team's only American-born captain, a position he's held since October 2008.

Brown has 181 goals, 207 assists and 452 penalty minutes in 641 regular-season games. He was an All-Star in 2009.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nhl/...ngeles-kings-agrees-8-year-contract-extension