David Desharnais earns 4-year, $14-million extension from Canadiens

March 15, 2013 at 10:23 a.m.

David Desharnais and the Montreal Canadiens have agreed on a 4-year, $14-million extension ahead of his restricted free agency this summer.

Look at the comparable players on Cap Geek. Understand why this is a good deal for Montreal.

(Also, he has a Hab-tastic sounding name. That too.)

In 157 career games with the Canadiens, Desharnais has 32 goals and 67 assists for a total of 99 points. He hit 60 points in 81 games last season; his points per game are down a shade this season (0.59) in comparison (0.74), but he’s had a respectable season skating with Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher after a slow start.

The knock on him is that Desharnais is a one-dimensional center who struggles in the faceoff circle (47.4 percent this season). But at $3.5 million annual for that offensive upside, it’s a solid signing.

Which means this is more about Marc Bergevin than it is David Desharnais. The first-year GM got Pacioretty at $4.5 million annually through 2019, P.K. Subban in at $2.875 million for two years and Desharnais at $3.5 million annually for four years.

So far, so good.

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