SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -Defenseman Craig Rivet re-signed with the San Jose Sharks on Friday, agreeing to a four-year deal with the club that acquired him late in the regular season.
Rivet spent his entire career with the Montreal Canadiens before the Sharks picked him up for the playoff run on Feb. 25.
The 11-year veteran had one goal, seven assists and a plus-eight rating in 17 regular-season games for the Sharks while providing a valuable veteran presence for one of the NHL’s youngest rosters. Rivet also shined in the playoffs, scoring five points in 11 games.
Rivet re-signed on the same day San Jose traded goalie Vesa Toskala and forward Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple Leafs for three draft picks, a deal that cleared about $4 million in salary-cap room for the Sharks.
The 32-year-old Rivet had said he hoped to stay in San Jose, praising the freedom and camaraderie he felt in California after a decade under the microscope of unforgiving fans and media in Montreal. Sharks general manager Doug Wilson also praised Rivet’s physical play and shot-blocking.
The Sharks have three other unrestricted free agents: defenseman Scott Hannan and forwards Bill Guerin and Mark Smith. Hannan, who has spent his entire career in San Jose, is among the top free-agent defensemen on the market.
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