The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Friday that they have signed 24-year-old defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to a contract extension.
His new deal is a reported six-year, $27 million contract with a $4.5 million cap hit.
Taken in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Gostisbehere has had an immediate impact on the Flyers since breaking into the lineup with his first full season in 2015-16. He scored 17 goals and 46 points (in just 64 games...) in his rookie year, earning him recognition as a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
That first season included a record-breaking 15-game point streak -- now the longest streak for a rookie NHL defenseman. That’s in addition to a pair of club records he set during that productive run.
#Flyers GM Ron Hextall on Shayne Gostisbehere extension: "We all know his upside, we've seen it."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) June 9, 2017
After hip and abdominal surgery last spring, Gostisbehere put up seven goals and 39 points this past season, but also found himself as a healthy scratch at times.
“That’s a part of growth and development and part of our group in terms of accountability in our play overall,” said coach Dave Hakstol in November, after making the decision to sit Gostisbehere for a game versus the Jets.
Hexy said the benchings last year were a learning experience and Ghost will be better for it
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchRET) June 9, 2017
His entry-level contract, with an annual NHL salary of $925,000, was up at the end of this season, making him a pending restricted free agent.