Wednesday was a busy day in the office of new Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere
The Avs re-signed defenseman John-Michael Liles, 25, to a two-year, $2.65 million contract. Liles scored 14 goals and 49 points in 82 games for the Avs last season. Liles had elected for salary arbitration before coming to agreement.
“John is one of the top young offensive defensemen in the league,” Giguere said. “He has been a key contributor to our blueline in his first two seasons and is a very skilled defenseman.”
The team also signed right wing Mark Rycroft, a former University of Denver star. Rycroft, who turned 28 on Wednesday, signed a one-year contract worth $550,000. It is a two-way contract, meaning Rycroft will be paid far less if he doesn’t make the Avs in training camp.
Rycroft played 80 games for the St. Louis Blues last season, scoring six goals and 10 points, with 46 penalty minutes. He played at DU from 1997-2000. Since making the NHL, Rycroft has tried to transform himself into an agitator-type player, in the mold of a Dan Hinote, who left the Avs for the Blues last week as a free agent.
The Avs also agreed to terms with defenseman Jeff Finger and free-agent forwards Ben Guite and Matt Murley.
Guite, a right wing who turns 28 on Monday, spent the majority of last season with Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, where he finished fourth on the team with 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 73 games. He played in one game with the Boston Bruins.
Murley, 26, spent the 2005-06 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, notching six points (one goal, five assists) in 41 games.
The Avs also named former NHL goalie Jeff Hackett the new goaltending coach and hired Terry Martin as a pro scout.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
