Toronto Maple Leafs Resign Phil Kessel to an 8 Year Extension

[Phil The Thrill]

Phil Kessel's future in Toronto was secured on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old winger officially signed an eight-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The deal is believed to be worth an average annual value of $8 million and is believed to include a limited no-trade clause.
Talks are believed to have intensified this weekend between the two sides in hopes of getting an extension done before the puck drops on the 2013-14 season in Montreal Tuesday night.
According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie the deal is believed to include a signing bonus in its first year as well as another in a later year in the term.
The Leafs did not start intense negotiations with Kessel until they heard from the winger that he was committed to staying in Toronto long term, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun. Leafs general manager Dave Nonis put great importance on Kessel's commitment to the team and waited to hear that from the 25-year-old before working on the extension. The two had a one-on-one meeting last week where Kessel gave Nonis the assurances he sought.
As a result of the Kessel talks being complete, Dreger reports that negotiations to extend the contract of captain Dion Phaneuf will soon become the top priority for the Maple Leafs.
Kessel is entering the final year of a five-year deal he signed with the Maple Leafs prior to the 2009-10 worth an average annual value of $5.4 million.
He was acquired from the Boston Bruins via trade on 2009 in exchange for a pair of first-round draft picks and a second-round draft pick.
In 504 career games with the Bruins and Maple Leafs, Kessel has scored 185 goals and added 194 assists. He has been the Maple Leafs' leading point-getter in every season since his arrival in Toronto and has finished in the top 10 in NHL scoring in each of the past two seasons. He was originally selected by the Bruins with the fifth overall selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
In 22 career playoff games, Kessel has scored 13 goals and eight assists.
Kessel has not missed a regular season game since the 2009-10 season, playing 48 games in the shortened 2012-13 season and a full 82 in the previous two.
 

 
TSN

 

[H-MYK]

Good signing by the Leafs, one less problem to worry about

 

[Fuhgeddaboudit]

Their goal scorer, good deal