Jets sign stars Scheifele, Hellebuyck to matching 7-year extensions | CBC Sports

The Winnipeg Jets have reached identical agreements with two key members of their team.

The Manitoba club has announced that it has successfully secured seven-year contracts with both forward Mark Scheifele and goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The terms of the agreements state that each player will receive an average annual salary of $8.5 million US.

The extensions will be implemented in the NHL season of 2024-25.

Scheifele set a career-high for goals last season with 42, and ranks first in franchise history with playoff goals (19) as well as game-winning goals (44) after being drafted by the Jets seventh overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Hellebuyck, 30, was drafted a year later in the fifth round and is beginning his ninth season with the team.

The American netminder leads the franchise’s goalies in games played (445), wins (238) and shutouts (32). He won the Vezina Trophy in 2020 and was a finalist in 2018 and 2023.

Maple Leafs’ Murray to miss 6-8 months after hip surgery

The Maple Leafs made several changes to their team just before the start of the NHL regular season. They revealed that their goaltender, Matt Murray, had recently undergone hip surgery, and they also made a few adjustments to their staff.

Murray is expected to be absent for the next six to eight months following his bilateral hip surgery.

At the beginning of the Leafs training camp, general manager Brad Treliving mentioned that Murray was scheduled to undergo a major surgical procedure. However, he did not disclose any details regarding the injury or the specific procedure.

In the 2022-23 season, Murray, 29 years old, played in 26 games after being traded to the Ottawa Senators. He achieved a record of 14 wins, 8 losses, and 2 ties, with a save percentage of .903 and a goals-against average of 3.01.

Curtis McElhinney has been appointed as the director of Goaltending Development and Scouting by the Leafs. Jake Muzzin has been designated as a pro scout, while Chris Bourque will take on a new position as a College Free Agent Scout.

Muzzin had one year left on his contract with the Leafs but Treliving said ahead of training camp that the defenceman would miss the upcoming season.

After a 17-year career as a player, Bourque became a part of the Maple Leafs’ scouting team in the 2022-23 season.

Murray, who has frequently been injured, had some respectable performances while playing for the Leafs. However, he struggled to avoid injuries to his groin and ankle, and ultimately suffered a concussion in April.

Murray has one year left on his contract with Ottawa, which is a four-year deal worth $25 million US. He signed this contract in October 2020 after being traded from Pittsburgh. In the upcoming season, he was expected to have a salary cap hit of approximately $4.69 million, as the Senators agreed to retain 25% of his wages in the trade with Toronto.

Sabres ink defenceman Dahlin

On Monday, the Buffalo Sabres secured the services of their talented defenseman Rasmus Dahlin for an additional eight years, in a contract extension valued at $88 million.

Dahlin, who is currently 23 years old, will earn a salary of $7.2 million for this season before the extension comes into effect for the 2024-25 season.

Dahlin tied for fifth among NHL defencemen with 73 points (15 goals, 58 assists) last season, the third-highest mark by a blueliner in Sabres history. He led the Sabres in blocked shots and finished second on the team in hits.

Dahlin, 23, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has 233 points (46 goals, 187 assists) in five seasons with the Sabres.

Since last season, the Sabres have secured long-term contracts for forwards Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, as well as defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, in addition to Dahlin. Furthermore, the team is considering a long-term agreement for defenseman Owen Power, who was their top pick in 2021.

Source: cbc.ca