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NHL free agency roundup: Kevin Shattenkirk signs with hometown New York Rangers

By The Sports Xchange
Kevin Shattenkirk of the Washington Capitals celebrates a goal. Shettenkirk has signed a free-agent contract with the New York Rangers. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Kevin Shattenkirk of the Washington Capitals celebrates a goal. Shettenkirk has signed a free-agent contract with the New York Rangers. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

Kevin Shattenkirk has decided to go home.

On Saturday, the 28-year-old New Rochelle, N.Y., native and prized defenseman signed a four-year deal reportedly worth $26.6 million -- an average of $6.65 million per season -- with his hometown New York Rangers.

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"New York was a place I wanted to play," Shattenkirk told TSN. "If I passed that up, I couldn't live with that. I think the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup as a hometown kid, that's the reason I came here."

Shattenkirk, an NHL All-Star in 2015, totaled 13 goals and 43 assists (56 points) over 80 games between the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals last season.

F Sharp rejoins Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to terms with forward Patrick Sharp on a one-year contract that runs through the 2017-18 season.

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Sharp's deal is worth up to a reported $1 million ($800,000 in base salary and $200,000 in games-played bonuses) to rejoin the Blackhawks after two seasons with the Dallas Stars.

Sharp, 35, returns to Chicago, where he spent 10 seasons with the Blackhawks through 2015, winning three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013 and 2015) and totaling 511 points (239 goals, 272 assists) in 679 games.

Sharks lock up D Vlasic, G Jones long term

The Jose Sharks signed defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to an eight-year contract extension and goaltender Martin Jones to a six-year extension.

Vlasic's deal is worth a reported $56 million over the eight years, while Jones' deal is worth $5.75 million per year.

Vlasic, 30, ranked second among Sharks' defensemen in points (28), goals (six), assists (22), shots on goal (144) and game-winning goals (two) last season. Jones posted a 35-23-6 record, including two shutouts, in 65 games last season with a .912 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average.

Ducks sign G Miller, give D Fowler an extension

Ryan Miller has agreed to sign a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Terms of the goaltender's contract were not released by the team, but TSN reports Miller's deal is worth $4 million.

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The Ducks also signed defenseman Cam Fowler to an eight-year contract extension through the 2025-26 season. Fowler will receive $52 million over the life of the deal, the Orange County Register reported.

Last season with the Canucks, Miller posted a subpar 18-29-6 record with a 2.80 GAA and a .914 save percentage over 54 games.

Fowler, 25, was a first-time All-Star with the Ducks last season after totaling a career-high 11 goals and 28 assists (39 points) in 80 games.

F Williams returning to Hurricanes with 2-year deal

Justin Williams is headed back to Carolina after the Hurricanes signed the veteran right wing and three-time Stanley Cup champion to a two-year contract worth $9 million.

"We said that we needed goal scoring and veteran leadership, and Justin will bring us both," Hurricanes executive vice president and general manager Ron Francis said.

Williams, 35, spent five seasons with the Hurricanes from 2003-04 to 2008-09, totaling 81 goals and 120 assists over 265 games. The Cobourg, Ontario, native had 24 goals and 24 assists (48 points) in 80 games with the Washington Capitals last season.

D Schultz signs with Penguins

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The Pittsburgh Penguins signed restricted free agent defenseman Justin Schultz to a three-year, $16.5 million contract, the team announced.

The contract has an average annual value of $5.5 million and runs through the 2019-20 season.

Schultz recorded career highs in goals (12), assists (39), points (51), plus-minus (plus-27) and power-play points (20) in 78 games last season with the Penguins. The 26-year-old is coming off a one-year, $1.4 million deal.

Jets bolster roster with signings of D Kulikov, G Mason

The Winnipeg Jets bolstered their roster by signing defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and goaltender Steve Mason to contracts. Kulikov inked a three-year, $12.99 million deal, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. Mason signed a two-year, $8.2 million contract.

Kulikov recorded two goals and three assists last season with the Buffalo Sabres while being limited to just 47 games due to an upper-body injury.

Mason, who is coming off a three-year, $12.3 million deal, posted a 26-21-8 record with three shutouts and a 2.66 goals-against average in 58 games last season with the Philadelphia Flyers.

F Bonino jumps ship to join Predators

Nick Bonino is joining the team that he helped defeat in the Stanley Cup Final.

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The forward signed a four-year, $16.4 million contract with the Nashville Predators.

The 29-year-old Connecticut native recorded 18 goals, 19 assists in 80 games last season with Pittsburgh and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 21 playoff contests to help the Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

Lightning sign Kunitz to one-year pact

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed free agent forward Chris Kunitz to a one-year, $2 million contract.

A four-time Stanley Cup champion, Kunitz collected nine goals and 20 assists in 71 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 37-year-old Saskatchewan native came through in the clutch when he scored in double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final against the Ottawa Senators.

Kunitz has recorded 250 goals, 330 assists and a plus-183 rating in 884 career contests with the Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers and Penguins.

Flyers ink former All-Star G Elliott to two-year deal

The Philadelphia Flyers signed goaltender Brian Elliott to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed by the Flyers, but TSN reported the deal is worth $5.5 million.

"When a guy like (Flyers general manager and former NHL goalie) Ron Hextall calls you and says he's liked you for a long time and wants to get you on this team, that's pretty special," Elliott said. "I wanted to take advantage of that opportunity."

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Elliott posted a 26-18-3 mark with two shutouts, a 2.55 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 49 games last season with the Calgary Flames.

Stars sign C Hanzal to $14.5-million deal

The Dallas Stars signed center Martin Hanzal to a three-year, $14.25-million contract.

Hanzal, 30, split the 2016-17 season between the Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild, combining for 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 71 regular-season games. In five Stanley Cup playoff games with Minnesota, he scored one goal and finished with a 57.3 percent faceoff percentage.

Hanzal, a veteran of 10 NHL seasons with Arizona and Minnesota, owns 326 points (121 goals, 205 assists) in 628 career regular-season games.

Devils sign C Boyle

The New Jersey Devils signed center Brian Boyle to a two-year contract. The deal is worth a reported $5.1 million.

Boyle, 32, played for the Tampa Bay Lighting last season before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs before the trade deadline.

After being acquired by the Maple Leafs, Boyle tallied only three assists in 21 regular-season games and two assists in six playoff games. He had 13 goals and nine assists in 54 games with the Lightning last season.

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Canadiens sign D Alzner to 5-year deal

Karl Alzner signed a five-year, $23.125 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

Alzner, a 6-foot-3, 219-pound stay-at-home defenseman, is expected to take the place of Alexei Emelin, who was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.

Alzner recorded 13 points (three goals, 10 assists), a plus-23 rating and a team-best 162 blocked shots while playing in all 82 games last season with the Washington Capitals.

Coyotes ink F Cousins to two-year deal

Nick Cousins signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes, the team announced.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the Coyotes, but Sportsnet reported the deal was worth $2 million.

Arizona acquired Cousins, a forward, from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 17. Cousins collected six goals, 10 assists and 31 penalty minutes in 60 games last season with the Flyers.

Panthers re-sign D Petrovic

The Florida Panthers agreed to terms with defenseman Alex Petrovic on a one-year, one-way contract.

The deal is worth a reported $1.8 million for Petrovic, who was a restricted free agent.

Petrovic, 25, recorded 14 points (one goals, 13 assists) in 49 games with Florida during the 2016-17 season. He ranked tied for first among team defensemen with 106 hits and averaged 2.2 hits per game.

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