Mikka Kiprusoff signs

Cam West News and countless articles: George Johnson reported Flames goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff signed a six year contract extension for thirty five million dollars (US) Monday in what many consider a bargain at 5.8m a year.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Writer does a great job here with the following points:

*Nikolai Khabibulin of the Hawks is raking in $6.75 million this season.
*Jose Theodore of the Avalanche, will make $6 million.
*Sutter ups the length of term and lands him for $5.8 million.

* All credit here must go to Sutter for signing him at below what appeared to be market value.

* It seemed certain that a goaltender of Kiprusoff's could command $7 million a season.

It should be noted Kiprusoff got this contract in his thirties after he left another team while a first overall pick like DiPietro signed his contract at 4.5m a season for fifteen years where he said he felt he left money on the table at the time at a much younger age. Many may recall Brent Krahn was the next goaltender taken by the Flames that year at ninth overall.

As a fan you have to love when a player decides to stay with the club he established himself with, Only downside is we only see teams like the Flames very infrequnetly as if they are in another league. That could change next season and the Islanders do visit Calgary for the first time since before the lockout.

This could be a new trend among goaltenders. The Emery, Lundqvist and Miller future contracts could be effected by this.

For a little laugh check the NHLPA website. Things may be different now in season but back in the summer it always seemed when a player got a huge contract at what many felt was above his market value he was profiled on that site.