Report: Hurricanes agree to six-year, $34 million extension with Jeff Skinner

The Carolina Hurricanes made a big splash at the NHL Draft when they traded for center Jordan Staal and subsequently signed him to an extension. In late July, they landed free-agent forward Alexander Semin on a one-year deal.

Earlier Tuesday evening, GM Jim Rutherford hinted that he was in the process of tying up another one of his young forwards:

It looks like we are going to be able to get Jeff Skinner tied up for a number of years. Exciting news for our franchise.—
Jim Rutherford (@HurricanesGM) August 07, 2012

Bob McKenzie of TSN later chimed in with the details:

Jeff Skinner's extension with CAR expected to be 6 years with an AAV of $5.725M.—
Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) August 08, 2012

That makes it a six-year contract worth a total of $34.35 million. If it is indeed an extension, then it won’t kick in until after next season, the final one on Skinner’s three-year rookie deal.

Skinner, 20, was the seventh overall pick of the 2010 draft. He won the Calder Trophy in 2010-11, when he also became the youngest player to ever play in the NHL All-Star Game. He has 51 goals and 56 assists in 146 career games.