Testing the market was a "last resort" for Jordan Eberle, who has come to appreciate the stability president and general manager Lou Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz have brought to the Islanders.
So, the impending unrestricted free-agent right wing took his preferred path, agreeing on Friday to a five-year deal. An NHL source confirmed the contract is worth $27.5 million with an annual average value of $5.5 million. Eberle's new deal also includes a no-trade clause for the first two seasons and a modified no-trade clause over the last three years.
"Negotiations didn't really start until the end of the year," Eberle said on a conference call. "If you look at my year, it was definitely up and down. It wasn't a great start. It wasn't until maybe February that I really got it going and took my game to another level and into the playoffs. It really was from that moment on that I really wanted to try and get something done and be a part of the Islanders.
