Avalanche sign Guenin to two-year extension

The Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday signed defenseman Nate Guenin to a two-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not released, but the Denver Post reported Guenin will make $750,000 next season and $850,000 in 2015-16.

Guenin was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The 31-year-old has played 38 games this season, representing more than half the total of his 70 career games. He has four assists and a team-high 86 blocked shots while also ranking first on the Avalanche in shorthanded ice time (2:57 per game) and tied for fourth with 84 hits.

"Nate has been very consistent during the first half of the season," Avalanche executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said. "He has been a reliable member of our defense and we are pleased to have him under contract for the next couple of years."

Guenin signed with Colorado as a free agent July 5. The 6-foot-3, 207-pounder also has played with the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks and has career totals of two goals and eight points. He was a fourth-round pick (No. 127) by the Rangers in the 2002 NHL Draft.