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Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was so pleased to get Mike Hoffman under contract that he hugged another member of the clubs management team.The Senators and Hoffman, Ottawas leading scorer this past season, avoided going to arbitration by agreeing to a four-year contract worth nearly $21 million.This is a great day for the organization. I shouldnt tell you this, but I actually hugged (director of hockey operations) Randy Lee today, Dorion said on a conference call Wednesday shortly after the announcement of the deal, which carries a $5.19 million annual cap hit.Obviously we see Mike as a huge piece of our team going forward.Hoffman led the Senators in goals for the second straight season, hitting a career high with 29 goals. He also set career highs with 30 assists, 59 points and a team-leading nine power-play goals.The 26-year-old was particularly pleased to avoid arbitration for a second straight summer. Hoffman was awarded a one-year, $2 million deal through the process last summer, his third consecutive one-year contract. His new deal doesnt expire until the end of the 2019-20 season.His arbitration hearing was scheduled for Aug. 4.Ottawa was most intrigued to see what impact new head coach Guy Boucher could have on the Kitchener, Ontario, native. Hoffman starred for Boucher in junior with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, scoring 98 goals over two seasons while capturing the league championship in 2009.The thing thats exciting about Mike Hoffman is hes going to play for a coach that, without divulging too many secrets, that simply adores him, Dorion said.Dorion was particularly excited by how Boucher, formerly the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach, planned to use Hoffman on the power play.Hoffman seemed to clash at times with Dave Cameron, the former Senators coach who was fired at the end of last season. Cameron benched Hoffman for the entire third period of an early March win over Toronto before dropping him to the fourth line.Hoffman had 46 even-strength points, second to captain Erik Karlsson among Senators. His 56 goals over the past two seasons rank 19th among all NHL players.Obviously I had to prove myself again, Hoffman said. I didnt want to just be a one-hit wonder kind of guy and last season I think I kind of showed what I can do in this league.Hoffman could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but the Senators opted to buy three years of unrestricted status. The new deal carries a limited no-trade clause (a list of 10 teams) that takes effect in the 2017-18 season.Dorion said a new deal wasnt close last month at the draft, but the sides made progress on term and dollars last week. Dorion was discouraged again on Monday though before meeting with Hoffmans agent Rob Hooper on Tuesday.The sides came to an agreement a day later.Twenty-two-year-old defenseman Cody Ceci is the only Senator still unsigned. Ceci is a restricted free agent, one whom Dorion said will be in the lineup when Ottawa opens the regular season.I can assure you that Cody will be playing for us on October 12, he said.Asked about the prospect of 40 goals for Hoffman, a former fifth-round pick, Dorion responded, I hope! But I definitely see more than 29, he said.I see an improvement. I definitely see someone whos going to step forward, take a bigger role on our team, not just score goals, but help us win games. I see someone whos been a good player in the NHL, but who can grow even further.Nolan Patrick Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Michael Raffl Flyers Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/bernie-parent-hockey-jersey/ . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Bobby Clarke Flyers Jersey . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Brian Propp Flyers Jersey . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose.SANZAAR has ruled out any changes to this years Super Rugby finals format despite the likelihood that dominant New Zealand teams will be forced to travel for quarterfinals against opposition sides with worse records.Under the competition format agreed to at the beginning of the year, the four conference winners will automatically host quarter-final matches against the next four best-ranked teams in the first week of the playoffs.That has led to criticism in New Zealand, where many feel the system is unfair as it will hand home-ground advantage to teams that dont deserve it.For example, the Brumbies will likely be Australias sole team in the finals but could host the Crusaders, Highlanders or Hurricanes in a quarterfinal - teams which have tallied significantly more competition points.However, chief executive Andy Marinos says despite the conjecture, SANZAAR stands by the format.A tournaments qualification criteria cannot be determined on one years results iin isolation, Marinos said on Thursday in a statement.ddddddddddddSuper Rugby is one of the worlds best rugby tournaments and this years final series is set to be exceptional, as the best teams have risen to the top through the regular season.This is reflected in the fact that, going into the final round this weekend, seven of the nine matches will have a direct bearing on the make-up of the quarter-finals.SANZAAR is in the midst of a strategic review that will determine the competitions future beyond 2020, but there is a chance the finals structure could be slightly rejigged in time for next year.There have been a number of teething issues experienced with the addition of expansion sides, the Jaguares, Sunwolves and Southern Kings, while there are concerns the convoluted nature of Super Rugby is turning off neutral sports fans. 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