Canadiens, P.K. Subban agree to eight-year deal

P.K. Subban and the Canadiens have agreed to an eight-year deal, the team announced on Saturday.

P.K. Subban and the Canadiens have agreed to an eight-year deal, the team announced on Saturday.

The deal is worth $72 million, for an average of $9 million per season, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. Both sides avoided salary arbitration by completing the deal, which runs through the 2021-22 season.

The 25-year-old Toronto native, who was selected in the second round of the 2007 draft, has played five seasons for Montreal, tallying 42 goals and 125 assists in 284 games with a plus-10 rating. The 2012-13 Norris Trophy winner (given to the league's best defenseman) had 10 goals and 43 assists last season and added five goals and nine assists in the playoffs as the Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference final.

Subban, who won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, just completed the final season of a two-year, $5.75 million deal.

“We are very pleased to have reached a long term agreement with P.K. Subban," said Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin This agreement helps consolidate the future of our team. A key element of our group of young veterans, P.K. plays with a high level of intensity every time he steps onto the ice. Despite his young age, he carries a great deal of experience and brings contagious energy to the team. Defensemen of his level are a rare commodity in the NHL.”

Thank you to @canadiensmtl for making a commitment to myself and my family. Im Excited about the future! #letsgetit

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) August 2, 2014

- Chris Mascaro