Kevin Shattenkirk has decided to go home.
On Saturday, the 28-year-old New Rochelle, N.Y., native and prized defenseman signed a four-year deal reportedly worth $26.6 million -- an average of $6.65 million per season -- with his hometown New York Rangers.
"New York was a place I wanted to play," Shattenkirk told TSN. "If I passed that up, I couldn't live with that. I think the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup as a hometown kid, that's the reason I came here."
Shattenkirk, an NHL All-Star in 2015, totaled 13 goals and 43 assists (56 points) over 80 games between the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals last season.
The No. 14 overall draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2007 spent parts of seven seasons with the Blues from 2010-11 to last season, when he was shipped to Washington.
Over 490 career games, Shattenkirk has 68 goals and 230 assists (298 points).
The Rangers also signed goalie Ondrej Pavelec as a backup to Henrik Lundqvist.
Pavelec, 29, spent his first 10 NHL seasons with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. Last season, Pavelec posted a 4-4 record with a .888 save percentage and a 3.55 goals-against average in eight games with the Jets.
WINNIPEG, MB - The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, in conjunction with its AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, announced today they have recalled goaltender Ondrej Pavelec from the Moose. Ben Chiarot has been placed on retro-active injured reserve to Jan. 11 with an upper-body injury.
Pavelec, 29, has played 18 games for the Manitoba Moose this season, registering an 8-7-2 record with a 2.78 goals against average and .917 save percentage. Prior to this season, the native of Kladno, Czech Rep., spent the previous five years with the Winnipeg Jets. Pavelec has played 371 NHL games over nine seasons and has a 148-154-47 record with a 2.86 career goals against average along with a .907 save percentage. He back-stopped the Jets to a playoff berth in 2015 leading the Jets with a 9-2-1 record with a .955 save percentage in the team's final 12 games of the 2014-15 season
Pavelec was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the second round, 41st overall at the 2005 NHL Draft.
- Winnipeg Jets PR
Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was among eight players assigned to Manitoba of the American Hockey League by the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.
Pavelec's reassignment is pending waivers.
Goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson remain with the Jets, who will open the season against the Carolina Hurricanes at MTS Centre on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-CR).
Pavelec, 29, is entering the final season of a five-year, $19.5 million contract with an NHL salary-cap charge of $3.9 million, according to General Fanager.
Last season Pavelec was 13-13-4 with a 2.78 GAA and .904 save percentage in 33 games. In 2014-15 he set NHL bests in goals-against average (2.28), save percentage (.920) and shutouts (five) and helped the Jets reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Chosen by the Atlanta Thrashers with the No. 41 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, Pavelec is 148-154-47 with a 2.85 GAA and .907 save percentage in nine NHL seasons, all with Atlanta/Winnipeg.
Also assigned to the AHL were forwards Andrew Copp, Marko Dano, Chase De Leo, Anthony Peluso and Nic Petan, and defensemen Julian Melchiori and Brian Strait. Peluso and Melchiori's assignments also are dependent on them clearing waivers.
- NHL
