The Boston Bruins have signed forward Brad Marchand to an eight-year, $49-million US contract extension. The team announced the deal on Monday as Marchand prepares to play for Canada in the finals of the hockey World Cup. The 28-year-old Marchand, who could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer, had a career-high 37 goals and 60 points last season. Marchand was a member of Boston's Stanley Cup-winning team in 2011, with 11 goals in the playoffs, the second-most on the team. He would have been a coveted player had he hit the open market in 2017, especially after his breakout performance on the World Cup stage.

Source: CBC News September 26, 2016 17:07 UTC