Calgary Extends Bourque, Stajan
The Calgary Flames solidified their roster going forward by extending the contracts of winger Rene Bourque and center Matt Stajan during the Olympic break.
Bourque signed a six-year, $20 million extension last week and Stajan just dried the ink on a four-year, $14 million deal that ensured neither forward would hit the free-agent market this Summer.
The 26-year-old Stajan, who was acquired from Toronto in the Dion Phaneuf trade, has seen top-line duty and recorded four points in seven games as a Flame.
“I’m excited. It’s good to get it done now. We have some important hockey coming up,” Stajan told the Calgary Herald. ” It’s good to know that I’ll be here for a while. I’ve really enjoyed the city in this first month. We’ve got to go out, work hard and, hopefully, get the job done.”
Bourque, 28, averaged 25 points per season in three campaigns with the Chicago Blackhawks before being dealt to Calgary. Bourque recorded 40 points–39 of them at even strength–in 58 games last year and has already recorded a career-high 41 points this season.
“My career was going down when I got traded here, so it was nice to get moved and get a fresh start,” Bourque told the Herald. “Did I think that this would happen two years later? Probably not. But, obviously, I’m really happy it happened.”
Stajan has dressed consistently in his career. Since becoming a full-time roster player he has missed no more than six games and three times played in all 82 games. Conversely, Bourque–a big, speedy forward who throws his body around with abandon–has missed at least 20 games in each of the past three seasons.
The Flames’ total cap hit is now a hair under $47 million for 2010-2011 with two more of their top six forwards extended well into the future.
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