The clock was ticking for the Winnipeg Jets to agree to a deal with their captain in order to avoid salary arbitration. They beat the deadline by a few hours, signing Andrew Ladd to a five-year deal on Tuesday.
Ladd, who was named captain of the Jets (then still known as the Atlanta Thrashers) in November, posted career-highs in goals (29) and points (59) during the 2010-11 campaign.
The deal, which is reportedly for five years and $22 million, will pay Ladd $4 million next season and $4.5 million in each of the following four seasons.
The 25-year-old is already a two-time Stanley Cup champion — winning with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
Ladd was drafted fourth overall in 2004 by the Hurricanes and traded to the Blackhawks in 2008 for Tuomo Ruutu. The 6-foot-3 forward was traded by the Blackhawks to his current squad last offseason in exchange for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy and a second-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft.
Ladd has 92 goals and 116 assists for 208 points in 402 career games.
