Avalanche sign centre Paul Stastny to five-year contract extension

DENVER - Paul Stastny has signed a US$33-million, five-year contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche, the club reported Monday.

The contract starts next season and runs through 2013-14, and will pay the 22-year-old centre an average of $6.6 million a year - a hefty raise over the $710,000 Stastny is slated to make this season.

Last season, Stastny led the Avalanche with 71 points in 66 games and was selected to play in his first all-star game. He leads the Avs with 15 points (three goals and 12 assists) in 16 games this season.

"Paul has clearly established himself as one of the bright young stars emerging in our game today," Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said in a statement. "At a young age, he's demonstrated tremendous skill, vision and composure on the ice and is recognized as one of the most complete players in our league."

A second-round draft pick in 2005, Stastny scored 78 points in 2006-07, finishing second to Evgeni Malkin for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league's top rookie. That season, he set an NHL rookie record by scoring points in 20 straight games.

Paul is the son of Hall of Fame forward Peter Stastny, who is the second-leading scorer in the history of the Quebec-Colorado franchise with 1,048 points.