Kyle Turris, Glendale escapee, signs 5-year deal with Ottawa Senators
Everything's coming up Milhouse for Kyle Turris.
First, Daniel Alfredsson answered his nightly prayers and decided to return to the Ottawa Senators next season. On Wednesday, he signed a 5-year extension under the CBA wire for 5 years and $17.5 million. (This makes him the Sens' third-highest paid forward in 2013-14.)
Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced today that the club has signed centre Kyle Turris to a five-year contract extension through the 2017-18 NHL season.
Turris, 23, recently completed his third full season in the National Hockey League and played 49 of his 55 regular season contests in 2011-12 as a member of the Senators. He was originally acquired by Ottawa from the Phoenix Coyotes on Dec. 17, 2011, in exchange for defenceman David Rundblad and a second-round draft pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
A native of Burnaby, B.C., Turris concluded the 2011-12 campaign having established new career highs in goals (12), assists (17), points (29) and penalty minutes (27). He recorded three points (one goal, two assists) and two penalty minutes while skating in each of Ottawa's seven post-season contests against the New York Rangers. In 186 career NHL contests with Phoenix and Ottawa, he has recorded 75 points (31 goals, 44 assists) and 70 penalty minutes.
The 6th Sens like what they see:
Of course, locking Turris up to such a deal does have some risk. Last season was the first in which he truly became a key part of a NHL roster. With a deal of such length, the organization has to hope that he can keep developing as a player because some of the underlying numbers suggest that there was some dependency on Alfie to create offense. Since the question of when Alfie will retire will linger over the organization until the time that such a decision is made, they will need Turris to develop into a player who makes those around him better.
Should Turris continue to develop as a player and eventually fulfill some of his offensive promise, the Senators will have helped solidify their depth down the middle for the foreseeable future at a very cost efficient price.
Look, there are a number of reasons why this is the case, from the CBA talks to political red tape, but the idea that Kyle Turris, who forced his way out of Glendale, has a contract in place for the 2013-14 season before the Phoenix Coyotes have an owner for next season is a little mind-blowing.
That said, he's a player that was never going to reach his potential with the Coyotes, and the divorce was beneficial for both sides. Assuming Rundblad turns into the power-play point man the Coyotes hope he'll be.
