The Detroit Red Wings on Thursday shored up their defensive corps by signing Olli Maatta to a two-year, $6 million contract extension.
Rumored to be a trade chip before the March 3 NHL deadline, Maatta was poised to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Skating mostly with Filip Hronek on the second pairing, Maatta has developed into a responsible top-4 blueliner in his first season with the Red Wings. Entering Thursday’s matchup at the Calgary Flames, Maatta, 28, has compiled five goals among 17 points and a plus-5 rating. He averaged 18:11 of ice time in 49 appearances.
Maatta, a 2012 first-round draft pick, initially signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Red Wings last summer.
Winners of four straight, the Red Wings remain four points behind the Washington Capitals for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.
Maatta’s new deal probably doesn’t take the two-time Stanley Cup champion off the market. The contract could be seen as a bargain for a contender in need of a playoff-proven, steady defender with team control until 2025.
Learning and leading from Day 1
Mikey meets with the media after signing an eight-year contract extension!
https://t.co/xdsnfGbjeY pic.twitter.com/b5f1mmhvDM
— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 15, 2023
Mikey Anderson Signs Long-Term Deal With Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are making a long-term investment in a young defenseman.
The Kings inked Mikey Anderson, a former 2017 fourth-round draft pick, to an eight-year, $33 million contract extension. The fourth-year blueliner has collected career highs in assists (11) and points (13) in 55 games this season.
The 23-year-old blueliner has compiled a plus-10 rating and often skates with Drew Doughty on the Kings’ No. 1 pairing. Anderson averaged 21:49 of ice time.
“We’re excited to have a player of Mikey Anderson’s caliber signed to the Kings long term,” Kings general manager Rob Blake said. “Mikey has not only developed into a trusted, shut-down player on the ice, but a well-respected individual in the room that we envision continuing to grow into our leadership core.”
The Kings (30-18-7), who play at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, trail the Vegas Golden Knights by one point in the Pacific Division standings.
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