FRISCO, Tex. – Dallas Stars General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that the club has signed center Mike Ribeiro to a one-year contract worth $2,800,000 for the 2007-08 season, and center Joel Lundqvist to a two-year, $1,450,000 contract ($700,000 this season and $750,000 for 2008-09).
“We are very pleased to have reached agreements on new contracts with Mike Ribeiro and Joel Lundqvist,” said Armstrong. “Mike brought a great deal of playmaking and offensive ability in his first year with our club and we look forward to his continued contributions. Joel’s rookie season was a positive one and we envision his role increasing as he gains more experience in the NHL.”
Ribeiro, 27, led the Stars in scoring in his first season with the club, notching 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists) in 81 games, and added three assists and four penalty minutes in Dallas’ seven playoff games during the 2007 postseason. His 41 assists in the regular season ranked third on the Stars, while his 18 goals were good for fourth on the team. He collected 15 multiple-point games in 2006-07 (second only to Sergei Zubov’s 16) and skated in his 300th career NHL game on Nov. 30 at Washington.
The 6-0, 178-pound center was acquired by the Stars from his hometown Montreal Canadiens with a 2008 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for Janne Niinimaa and a 2007 fifth-round draft pick on Sept. 30, 2006. After missing Dallas’ season-opener at Colorado, Ribeiro played in 81 consecutive games for the club, topped only by the 82 games played by Niklas Hagman and Stu Barnes.
In 357 career NHL games, the Montreal native has posted 68 goals and 144 assists for 212 points with 114 penalty minutes. He has skated in 24 career Stanley Cup playoff games, posting two goals and six assists for eight points with 22 penalty minutes. Ribeiro’s best offensive season came in 2003-04, when he led the Canadiens in points (65) and assists (45) and was third in goals (20). Ribeiro was originally drafted by Montreal in the second round (No. 45 overall) of the 1998 Entry Draft.
Lundqvist, 25, skated in 36 games as a rookie for Dallas last season, recording three goals and three assists for six points with 14 penalty minutes. He tied for the team lead with two goals in Dallas’ seven playoff games vs. Vancouver. The 6-1, 194-pound center led the club in faceoff percentage (62.6%) and scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 17 vs. Calgary.
The native of Are, Sweden, also appeared in 40 games for the AHL Iowa Stars in 2006-07, posting 38 points (16 goals, 22 assists) and 30 penalty minutes. Despite playing in less than half of Iowa’s games, he placed tied for third in points and tied for fourth in goals. His six goals and 10 points in nine Calder Cup Playoff games led the Iowa Stars, as the club advanced into the second round of the AHL postseason.
Originally drafted by Dallas in the third round (No. 68 overall) of the 2000 Entry Draft, Lundqvist has represented Sweden at the 2006 World Championships, the 2002 World Juniors and the 2000 World Under-18 Championships. Lundqvist played against his twin brother and New York Rangers goaltender, Henrik, on Dec. 14, becoming just the third set of twins to play against each other in NHL history. |
