The Ottawa Senators announced that they have signed Mika Zibanejad to a two-year, $5.25 million contract extension and Mark Stone to a three-year, $10.5 million contract.
Zibanejad will earn $2 million next season and $3.25 million in 2016-17. He was eligible to become a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level deal.
The 22-year-old forward was taken by Ottawa with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and made his debut that year. However, it’s been over the last three seasons that he’s established himself at the NHL level with 99 points in 191 games. In 2014-15, he set career-highs with 20 goals and 26 assists in 80 contests.
Stone, 23, was also coming off of his entry-level contract. He will make $2.25 million in 2015-16, $3.75 million the following campaign, and $4.5 million in 2017-18.
He slipped all the way to the sixth round of the 2010 draft, but he went from recording 28 points in 39 WHL games in his draft year to 106 points with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2010-11. That was an early indication that Ottawa had gotten a steal as after spending a couple years bouncing between the AHL and NHL, Stone firmly established himself last season with 26 goals and 64 points in 80 contests.
He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy, although it ultimately went to defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
The Senators have already done a lot of the heavy lifting expected of them this summer, but they still need to re-sign restricted free agents Alex Chiasson and Mike Hoffman.