The Florida Panthers have signed centre Chris Gratton to a new two-year contract extension.
The former first round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1993 was earning $900,000 this season prior to the deal.
Gratton, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Panthers last August, has 14 goals and 30 points in 56 games this season.
The Panthers had been getting several calls from other teams looking to acquire Gratton, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this July.
The Coyotes on Wednesday agreed to terms with both players on three-year contract extensions with Morris getting a deal worth $11.75 million and Reinprecht signing for $6 million.
A 27-year-old defenseman, Morris was acquired in a trade with Colorado on March 9, 2004. In 33 games with the Coyotes this season, he has collected two goals and 14 assists, ranking third on the team with an average ice time of more than 20 minutes.
Reinprecht, 29, has three goals and one assist in eight games since being obtained in a deal with Calgary on February 1. In 60 games this season with the Coyotes and Flames, the veteran center has 13 goals and 20 assists.
"These are players that we have acquired earlier through trades and players that we have identified as a part of our desired core moving forward," Coyotes general manager Michael Barnett said. "Derek Morris would have been the youngest defenseman in this summer's free-agent group at age 27. Steve Reinprecht is a skilled and versatile forward who, at only 29, will play on one of our top lines."
Drafted 13th overall by Calgary in 1996, Morris has 53 goals and 206 assists in 534 career games with the Flames, Avalanche and Coyotes. Reinprecht has collected 72 tallies and 123 assists in 329 contests with Los Angeles, Colorado, Calgary and Phoenix.
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