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NHL: Ottawa Senators, center Jean-Gabriel Pageau agree to three-year contract

By The Sports Xchange
Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) pauses and then shoots during the third period of the 2-1 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on May 13, 2017. File photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) pauses and then shoots during the third period of the 2-1 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on May 13, 2017. File photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau avoided arbitration by agreeing to a three-year, $9.3 million contract, the team announced on Monday.

Pageau will make $2.6 million in the first year, $3.3 million in the second and $3.4 in the third. His arbitration hearing had been set for July 28.

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"I wasn't totally sure how the talks were going but I knew that they were going well," Pageau told the team's website. "We've always had a good relationship with (general manager) Pierre Dorion, Bryan Murray before and with the organization. I wanted to stay with this team and I take a lot of pride to play for the Ottawa Senators, so I think that helped to get this deal done. I'm very happy."

Pageau collected 12 goals and 21 assists while playing in all 82 games last season. The 24-year-old's best performance came in Game 2 of the second-round series versus the New York Rangers, capping a four-goal outburst by scoring in overtime of a 6-5 victory.

"As an organization we're thrilled to get this contract done," Dorion said. "Arbitration is definitely a path that we did not want to go down with Jean-Gabriel, especially with the way he's performed over the course of the past two seasons.

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"He showed that he's definitely deserving of this contract and any player that has a history of raising his game, whether it was in junior playoffs or (the American Hockey League) playoffs or NHL playoffs, I think you have to give credit for what he's accomplished. We're really happy to have him on board for the next three years."

Pageau's new contract is a significant upgrade from the two-year, $1.8 million that he signed in 2015.

Pageau has recorded 45 goals and 56 assists in 251 career contests since being selected by Ottawa in the fourth round of the 2011 draft.

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