Isles Sign Yashin

Archived from 2001-02 season.

The New York Islanders signed center Alexei Yashin to the biggest contract package in NHL history Wednesday, a 10-year deal worth nearly $90 million.

"It's a privilege for me to know that I will be spending the rest of my career on Long Island," Yashin said.

The deal will start at roughly $6 million for the 2001-02 season and escalate to more than $10 million per season in the back end of the contract.

"To add a player of Alexei's caliber means great things for this hockey club," Isles general manager Mike Milbury said.

The Islanders acquired Yashin from Ottawa on the first day of the June draft for the second overall pick in the draft, which turned into center Jason Spezza, along with defenseman Zdeno Chara and right wing Bill Muckalt.

Yashin sat out the 1999-00 season in a contract dispute with the Senators, and an arbitrator ruled he had to play out the final year of his deal to become a restricted free agent.

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