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Maple Leafs sign Bernier to 2-year contract worth reported $8.3M

Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Jonathan Bernier have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth a reported $8.3 million, the team announced Sunday.

Bernier's deal, which will count $4.15 million against Toronto's cap each season, was agreed upon two days after a team-elected salary arbitration meeting, but before an official ruling came down.

He will receive a healthy $700,000 raise despite a significant statistical dip in his second season with the Maple Leafs. Through injury and behind a porous defense, he finished with a 2.87 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 58 games - numbers below his career averages.

For Toronto, Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello, and Kyle Dubas earn an additional season of control, which could prove crucial in their evaluations long term.

"The thought process is trying to get a goaltender, and hopefully it's Jonathan, to be the stabilizer for this franchise," Lamoriello said, according to Stephen Whyno of the Canadian Press. "Having that one (extra) year is both good for Jonathan and the organization, whether it's the organization evaluating or whether it's Jonathan proving."

He would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer had an independent party had made the final ruling.

"Two years it gives me a little bit of comfort, and I don't have to think this year about re-signing next summer. I can just really focus on playing hockey and not have to worry about the following year," Bernier said.

The 26-year-old now has the 24th-highest salary among NHL goaltenders, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, but joins Sergei Bobrovsky and Braden Holtby as the only NHL netminders under 27 to be pulling more than $4 million per season.

And to that, Bernier is set to earn nearly $2 million more than backup James Reimer next season.

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