Ducks sign G Giguere to multi-year extension

Jun 21, 2007 - 9:13 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks will not need to find a replacement for Jean-Sebastien Giguere after all.

The Ducks on Thursday signed Giguere, who could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1, to a multi-year contract extension.

Terms were not disclosed.

The Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2003, when Anaheim came within one win of the championship, Giguere helped lead the Ducks to the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history this past season. The 30-year-old posted a 13-4 record with one shutout, a 1.97 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage during the club's postseason run.

"J.S. has been an instrumental part of this franchise for the last six years," Ducks general manager Brian Burke said. "We view him as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL today, one with tremendous character and competitive fire, traits we value greatly in this organization."

During the regular season, Giguere posted a 36-10-8 record with four shutouts, a 2.26 GAA and a .918 save percentage. His wins total was a franchise and career high, and the 10 regulation losses were the fewest in the league by a netminder who appeared in at least 50 games.

"I'm very excited to be staying with the Ducks," Giguere said. "Orange County has been a great place for my family over the last six years, and we are grateful to the entire organization for the opportunity to stay here."

Drafted 13th overall by Hartford in 1995, Giguere has appeared in 353 career games with the Whalers, Calgary Flames and Ducks, going 156-134-44 with 25 shutouts, a 2.48 GAA and a .914 save percentage. The Montreal native also owns the longest overtime shutout streak in playoff history, going 170 minutes, 3 seconds without allowing a goal in extra time before having the run snapped by Vancouver in Game Two of this year's Western Conference semifinals.