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Sens’ Ryan signed massive extension with a ‘clear conscience’

Bobby Ryan

Ottawa Senators NHL hockey player Bobby Ryan speaks at a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014. Ryan was signed to a seven-year contract extension. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

AP

Rumors were flying that Bobby Ryan’s days might be numbered with the Ottawa Senators ... and then that all fell pretty flat when he signed a huge seven-year, $50.75 million extension on Oct. 2.

Ryan discussed the process in-depth with the Ottawa Sun, claiming that he signed that big-money deal “with a very clear conscience.”

While he chalked up talk of joining the Philadelphia Flyers to social media and blamed “arbitrary GMs” for questions regarding his relationship with Senators head coach Paul MacLean, he did admit that he was at least tempted to test free agency in the summer of 2015.

“There was to a degree,” Ryan said. “You play seven years for (free agency) and a guy in my position is likely going to be signing a long-term deal. I did mull over the idea of maybe getting to a place where you can control your own culture, control where you’re going to be and start a family and stuff. Only being in Ottawa one year, at that point, I wasn’t sure if that was right for me.

“After speaking on it all summer with friends and family, we had no minuses with all the places we’d tabbed to possibly look into. Ottawa just felt right. It just felt natural.”

As alluring as the possibility of an even bigger deal and the freedom to choose the best situation might have been, it’s difficult to deny that Ryan’s choice was probably a no-brainer.

And, hey, it should silence the trade rumors ... for a little while.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins