The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Nazem Kadri and defenceman Morgan Rielly to new six-year contracts.
Both were impending restricted free agents this summer.
The 25-year-old Kadri is coming off the most well-rounded season of his career, leading the Leafs with 45 points in a first-line centre role.
He became a favourite of Leafs head coach Mike Babcock for his tenacious play and improvement.
Toronto signed him to a one-year deal last summer, hoping that he would show progression on and off the ice.
“The past couple years I’ve kind of turned the page and worked as hard as I could to be a professional on and off the ice and I think so far it’s been going well for me,” Kadri said Sunday on locker cleanout day.
“I think we’ve seen a lot of growth from him, and some real strides,” team president Brendan Shanahan said that day.
Rielly, who recently turned 22, also posted career-bests with nine goals, 27 assists and 36 points while garnering more than 23 minutes per game on Toronto’s top pair.
