In a move that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to many, the Anaheim Ducks have secured a big part of their future by locking up forward Corey Perry to an eight year contract extension similar to that signed by teammate Ryan Getzlaf
recently.
“It’s a huge relief,” Perry said of the extension. “There were a lot of factors. How the team is playing right now. With (Getzlaf) signed, that’s a huge part of it. You look around the room, there’s a lot of guys in that dressing room that are going to be here for a long time, and we can definitely contend every year.”
Perry’s deal will pay him $69 million over eight years, the longest contract extension possible under terms of the new CBA, and will carry with it an $8.625 salary cap hit – slightly higher than the $8.25 cap hit for Getzlaf’s extension. Both contracts carry a no-movement clause, which become effective immediately as opposed to next season when the new contracts kick in.
The extension will pay Perry $7 million in 2013-14. The rest of the contract breaks down as follows: $5 million and a $4 million signing bonus for 2014-15 and 2015-16, $6 million and a $4 million signing bonus in 2016-17, $7.5 million and a $2.5 million signing bonus in 2017-18, $6.5 million and a $2.5 million signing bonus in 2018-19, $8 million in 2019-20, and in 2020-21 he will make $4 million with a $3 million signing bonus.
Perry said that Getzlaf agreeing to a long-term deal was a big factor in his decision to ante up with the Ducks for a long-term extension.
“He’s an elite center man, that’s for sure,” Perry said. “That was a big factor in my decision. With him staying here and knowing I’d get to play with him for pretty much the rest of our career. It definitely added some pride to stay here.”
With both players eating up more than $16 million of salary cap space for the foreseeable future, there will certainly be speculation about the amount of cap room available for Anaheim GM Bob Murray to ice a winning team around his two biggest stars. The Ducks currently have $53.48 million tied up in salary next season with 16 players under contract. The salary cap is expected to lower to $64.3 million next season. That will leave less room to sign pending unrestricted free agents such as Teemu Selanne, if he decides to return for another year, or Saku Koivu, who is currently third on the team in points.
It could also weigh heavily on the future of Bobby Ryan, who has been the target of trade speculation quite frequently in the past. Ryan, who is signed through 2014-15, could be the odd man out if push comes to shove in Anaheim now that the team has made major commitments to Perry and Getzlaf.
Perry has 214 goals and 239 assists for 453 points in 555 career games over eight NHL seasons, all with the Ducks. The 27-year-old was Anaheim’s first-round pick (No. 28) in 2003. He led the league with 50 goals in 2010-11 and helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup in 2007.
