Avalanche defenseman Brett Clark was richly rewarded Monday with a two-year contract extension.
Clark, 30, was given a two-year, $7 million extension that will carry through the 2009-10 season. The Saskatchewan native will earn $3.5 million in each of the two seasons following this coming one, which pays Clark $1.5 million.
“Brett has been an instrumental part of our team’s overall success,” Avs general manager Francois Giguere said in a statement.
“He’s been a steady, dependable asset to our defensive group and we expect him to be a strong contributor to this club in the coming seasons. Brett’s shown a tremendous amount of perseverance and he’s demonstrated his commitment and dedication to our organization.”
Clark played all 82 games for Colorado last season, scoring a career-high 10 goals and 39 points, and compiling a plus-5 rating. He often played point on the Avs’ first power-play unit and the penalty kill.
Clark spent several years toiling in the minor leagues before making the Avs roster in the 2005 training camp. Since, he has blossomed into a reliable blueliner.
His 23:40 average ice-time per game led the Avalanche last season and he led the NHL in shifts per game (35.1). His 210 blocked shots led the Avalanche and ranked fourth in the NHL.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com.
