MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have signed winger Andrei Kostitsyn to a one-year contract.
Though the Canadiens didn't disclose the financial terms of the agreement, reports indicate he will get $3.25 million.
General Manager Pierre Gauthier made the announcement Thursday.
"Andrei Kostitsyn is an important part of our group of forwards, and we are happy to have agreed to a contract extension with him," Gauthier said in a statement.
"As a player drafted and developed by the Canadiens organization, Andrei ranks year after year amongst our point leaders."
In 2010-11, Kostitsyn, 26, ranked fourth on the team in scoring and third in goals, with 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 81 regular season games, averaging 15:53 minutes of ice time per game.
Kostitsyn ranked tied for first on the team with six game winning goals, first with 140 hits, third with five powerplay goals and fourth with 196 shots on goal. He added two goals in six playoff contests.
Born in Novopolotsk, Belarus, Kostitsyn will enter his seventh season in the Canadiens' organization in the fall.
The 6'0" and 213 lbs forward has recorded 186 points (87 goals and 99 assists), 155 penalty minutes and a +16 plus/minus ratio in 326 NHL career games, all with the Canadiens.
He has registered 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists) in 41 playoff contests.
Kostitsyn was the Canadiens' first round selection, 10th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year contract with the Canadiens on July 2, 2008.
In May, Arpon Basu of Daily Hab-it argued in favour of signing Kositsyn to a one-year deal.
