Heatley and Senators agree to contract extension

TORONTO (Reuters) - Ottawa Senators' Dany Heatley agreed to a six-year contract extension worth a reported $45 million just before dropping the puck on their season-opener.

"We are all very happy and excited to get this deal done with an elite player in Dany Heatley who will be successful for quite a number of years," Senators general manager Bryan Murray told senators.nhl.com on Wednesday.

"It goes to show the commitment of ownership of having a first-class team in Ottawa for many years to come."

The announcement came just hours before the deadline Heatley and his representatives had placed on negotiations, saying they would not discuss a new contract once the season had started.

Obtained by Ottawa in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers in August 2005, Heatley has scored 50 goals and more than 100 points in each of two seasons in the Canadian capital helping take the Senators to the Stanley Cup finals last season where they lost to the Anaheim Ducks.

Taken second overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2000 NHL draft, Heatley has 180 goals and 209 assists entering his sixth season.

A durable player, Heatley has appeared in all 164 regular season games and playoff contests since coming to Ottawa.

Heatley's brilliant career almost came to a premature end in 2003 when he was involved in a car accident that left Thrashers team mate Dan Snyder dead and the left-winger with serious injuries, including torn knee ligaments and bruised lungs and kidney.

He was later charged with vehicular homicide and sentenced to three-years probation after entering a guilty plea.

Heatley tried to continue his career in Atlanta but eventually requested a trade and the chance for a fresh start with another team.