Senators re-sign D Phillips to four-year deal

Apr 11, 2007 - 5:09 PM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- Chris Phillips will not test the free agent market in July.

The Ottawa Senators on Wednesday re-signed the veteran defenseman to a four-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The signing was announced seven hours before the fourth-seeded Senators (48-25-9) are scheduled to open the 2007 playoffs at home against the fifth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Senators general manager John Muckler has locked up two of his key defensemen in the last three days. On Monday, Ottawa re-signed Anton Volchenkov, who led the NHL in blocked shots (273) this season, to a three-year contract.

Phillips, 29, has spent his entire nine-year career with the Senators and served as team captain for five games this season when Daniel Alfredsson was injured. Phillips set career highs with eight goals and 26 points in 2006-07 and tied for second on the team in average ice time (22:21).

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft, Phillips ranks fourth in club history in games (618), ninth in assists (124) and seventh in penalty minutes (456). He has 40 career goals.

In 67 career playoff games, Phillips has six goals and seven assists.