Montreal Canadiens signs Andrei Kostitsyn to 1 year $3.25 million deal –NHL offseason Update
The 10th overall 2003 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft pick of the first round, Andrei Kostitsyn, agreed to sign a one year extension contract for $3.25 million with the team he has been with for six seasons, Montreal Canadiens. The Canadian
franchise confirmed the signing of Andrei in an announcement on Thursday.
Montreal’s General Manager, Pierre Gauthier, made the announcement in the home city of the franchise.
"Andrei Kostitsyn is an important part of our group of forwards, and we are happy to have agreed to a contract extension with him", Gauthier said in a statement.
He also pointed out during the announcement that due to the contribution of Kostitsyn, Canadiens was able to make it to the playoffs and even though they had not won the first round, it was the hard work that counted.
It was the fourth consecutive season, Canadiens reached the playoffs with Andrei as part of the team’s line-up.
The 26-year-old from Novopolotsk, Belarus, played 81 games during the 2010-2011 regular season and registered 20 goals and 25 assists for a total of 45 points.
During the postseason, against Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, he played all six games, scoring a total of two goals.
The performances bagged by Kostitysyn certainly did not go unnoticed by the team’s management.
"As a player drafted and developed by the Canadiens organization, Andrei ranks year after year amongst our point leaders", Gauthier said while advocating Kostitsyn’s value to the team.
Throughout his six year career with the NHL and part of Montreal Canadiens, Kostitsyn has played a total of 326 games and has earned 186 points which consist of 87 goals and 99 assists.
Since he has the support of fellow teammates along with the upper management of one of Canada’s top hockey franchises, it will not long before Andrei Kostitsyn leads his club to a long needed Stanley Cup.
Montreal Canadiens might not have made it this time around, but he is still young and there is still plenty of time to reach the accolade. This decision came as a bid for Montreal to retain players before the free agency officially kicks off on the 1st
of July.
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