NHL Notes: Kings lock up goalie Quick

Unrestricted free agent defenseman Matt Carle may decide to test the open market, according to Flyers insider Tim Panaccio (see story). Free agency begins this Sunday.

Here’s some news and notes from around the NHL:

Kings lock up Quick
Jonathan Quick agreed to a 10-year contract extension on Thursday with the Los Angeles Kings, who locked up their playoff MVP goalie through the 2022-23 season.

Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy while leading Los Angeles to its first Stanley Cup championship earlier this month, and the Kings rewarded him with an enormous new deal one year before he reached unrestricted free agency. He can't sign the contract until Sunday.

"We are very happy to have a long-term agreement in place with one of our top young players," Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said. "At this point, we would prefer to withhold further comment until on or around July 1."

Quick just finished a breakthrough season in which he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy while establishing himself as one of the world's best young goalies (see full story).

Salary cap to increase
The NHL salary cap is going up, allowing teams to spend about $6 million more on players this season.

Before opening labor talks, the league and the NHL Players' Association announced the cap has been set at $70.2 million. That's a significant jump from last year's cap of $64.3 million, and continues the trend of increases since the cap system was established in 2005.

The minimum teams can spend on payroll is also rising, going up from $48 million to $54.2 million.

The announcement comes as the league prepares to open its free-agency period Sunday.

It's unclear what effect labor talks will have on the salary cap. The two sides are opening talks this week in a bid to reach a new deal before the current CBA expires Sept. 15.

Colorado signs Downie
Former Flyer Steve Downie has reached an agreement to remain with the Colorado Avalanche. Downie, who was a restricted free agent, signed a two-year deal worth $5.3 million according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie (via ProHockeyTalk).

The 25 year old right winger, played for both the Avalanche and Lightning last season, and totaled 41 points in 75 games.

Downie played for the Flyers from 2007-09, but only appeared in 38 games before he was sent to Tampa Bay in exchange for defenseman Matt Carle early in the 2008-09 season.

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