Canucks coach Vigneault agrees to contract extension

TORONTO (Reuters) - Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault has been given a one-year contract extension, the NHL team said on Thursday.

Vigneault, who has guided the Canucks to an 88-59-17 record in two campaigns, will stay in Vancouver until the end of the 2009-10 season.

"I am pleased to be signing this extension to remain the head coach of such a great franchise," Vigneault was quoted as saying on the team's official Web site (canucks.nhl.com).

"This is a team that I believe in and a city that I love living and working in."

Vigneault's future had been in doubt after the Canucks fired general manager Dave Nonis last month and replaced him with Mike Gillis.

However, Gillis and Vigneault held a series of meetings and decided they could work together.

"Mike and I have had meaningful discussions about how we believe we can take the next step with this team to be as successful as we all hope to be," said Vigneault, who had one year left on his initial contract.

Vancouver finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 39-33-10 record.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)