MONTREAL - Andrei Markov is staying with the only NHL club he has ever known. The 35-year-old defenceman agreed to terms of a US$17.25-million, three-year contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. Markov was due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said on a conference call that signing a new deal with Montreal was his first priority. "I knew before the season was over Id like to stay with the Montreal Canadiens, so Im happy the deal was done and Im looking forward now. I feel like Im at home here. I feel comfortable. Id like to stay for the rest of my career. Ive never known (free agency), but it doesnt matter. Im happy with that deal." Markov will earn the same salary, $5.75 million per season, that he made in each of his last two contracts over the past seven years. As a player 35 or over, he is guaranteed the full amount of his new deal. "We are very happy to have secured a long term agreement with Andrei," general manager Marc Bergevin said in a statement. "He is an important part of our group of core players. "He is healthy, shows a very good work ethic and has great leadership skills. He plays big minutes against the top opponents, and game-changing defencemen of his calibre are hard to find." Markov will be 38 when the deal expires after the 2016-17 season, but feels it is too early to say if it will be his last contract. There were fears that his career was over when a succession of knee injuries limited him to only 65 games over three years from 2009-10 to 20011-12, but he played all 48 games of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign and missed only one regular season game this season. He had seven goals and 36 assists and was plus-12 this season, while getting a team-high 25:14 of ice time per game. He added a goal and nine assists in 17 playoff games as the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference final. He also played for Russia at the Sochi Olympics. While he has slowed in a recent years, the Voskresensk, Russia native combines a solid defensive game with first-rate passing and playmaking skills from the point on power plays. "It wasnt easy when I had injuries, but I always stayed positive," Markov said. "The last two years I felt good. My health is good. I enjoy the game like I used to. Im looking forward to next season." Markov holds Russian and Canadian citizenship, having become a Canadian citizen in 2010. He was drafted in the sixth round, 162nd overall, by Montreal in 1998. He made his NHL debut in 2000. In 765 regular season games, he has 98 goals and 344 assists. His best seasons were 2007-08, when he had 16 goals and 58 points and 2008-09, when he had 12 goals and 64 points. He was the teams second potential free agent to sign ahead of July 1. Last week, forward Dale Weise inked a two-year contract that pays $1.025 million per season. Bergevin now faces negotiations with potential restricted free agents P.K. Subban and Lars Eller, while potential UFAs include captain Brian Gionta and defenceman Mike Weaver. Eugenio Suarez Jersey . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U. Tucker Barnhart Jersey . It was considered unlikely that Rielly would be loaned to Canada for the tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden, though a stretch of three straight games in the press box made it something of a debate. http://www.redsgearshop.com/Reds-Billy-Hamilton-Kids-Jersey/. The Oilers jumped into the free agent market early by signing defencemen Keith Aulie (six-foot-six, 228 pounds) and Mark Fayne (6-3, 210 pounds) and left-winger Benoit Pouliot (6-3, 197-pounds). Two days earlier MacTavish traded lightweight forward Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for 6-3, 203-pound right winger Ted Purcell. Reggie Sanders Jersey . After Mariota was pushed around by Stanford on Thursday, finishing 20/34 with 250 yards and two touchdowns in Oregons Title hope-crushing defeat, hes going to need a poor performance or two from the remaining frontrunners to have a shot at the most coveted individual trophy in college sports. Cincinnati Reds Jerseys . Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday.TAMPA – Mark Buehrle spun a gem on his 35th birthday, pitching as if he had evening plans to celebrate. "Go home, drop the family off at the airport so time to go home and clean up the house and get it ready for getting stuff shipped," said Buehrle of what will be a quiet night. Buehrle made his noise on the mound, tossing 6 1/3 innings of seven-hit, one-run ball against a Yankees lineup that featured every starter save for an injured Jacoby Ellsbury. He threw 94 pitches, 59 for strikes and was his usual efficient self, issuing no walks. He didnt strike out anyone, either. The Blue Jays won 3-1. "Hes looked a little different this spring," said manager John Gibbons. "Everythings just right. His locations on. I think hes popping the ball a little bit better. Of course I saw him last year, I hadnt seen him in any spring before that but I know hes feeling good and I think hes a little bit surprised about how good he feels and thats a good thing." Buehrle hadnt pitched in a Grapefruit League game since March 7. On that day, he threw 31 of 44 pitches for strikes and was insistent that his changeup was the best it had been in any game in three years. In between, Buehrle made two starts in minor league games. Cognizant of his opponent, Buehrle threw fewer offspeed pitches on Sunday, focusing on his fastball. "We face these guys a lot so I came out and just said, hey, lets work on a lot of fastballs, location," said Buehrle. "I dont want to say trick them because obviously Ive been in the league for 12, 13 years so they know what I throw but just didnt want to show them everything." The plan is for Buehrle to start on Friday night in Montreal, the first of two exhibition games the Jays will play against the New York Mets at Olympic Stadium. Pitching coach Pete Walker draws up the assignments and didnt give Buehrle the choice of traveling or staying back in Florida to throw in a minor league game. Thats just fine with Buehrle, whos looking to pitch in front of a large crowd, in a large stadium, this close to opening day. "It definitely helps out," said Buehrle. "You get in that atmosphere, the adrenaline pumps a little mmore, theres a bigger crowd even coming here, everything just kind of clicks and it just becomes real once the game starts.dddddddddddd" Fridays start wont be Buehrles first at the Big O. His only previous outing came on June 18, 2004, an 11-7 White Sox win over the Expos. Buehrle pitched six innings but, as he put it, he got his "ass kicked." He allowed seven runs on 10 hits and got a no-decision. Reyes Update Jose Reyes wasnt in the Blue Jays lineup on Sunday, one day after leaving Saturdays win over the Tigers in the fourth inning with stiffness in his left hamstring. "It feels a little better," said manager John Gibbons. "We still dont think its a big deal." Reyes is listed as day to day. The Second Catcher Erik Kratz and Josh Thole are in a battle for the second catchers job behind Dioner Navarro. Its going down to the wire. "The number one job is going be able to catch Dickey," said Gibbons. "You want some offence but the number one thing (is) theyve got to be able to catch Dickey." Navarro played in 89 games for the Cubs last season, far and away his most since appearing in 115 games for the Rays in 2009. With that in mind, the Jays anticipate the second catcher having to play more. Kratz offers more offence but Dickey is most comfortable pitching to Thole. Dickeys thrown 565 2/3 career innings with Thole as his battery mate. Henry Blanco, at 127 innings, ranks a distant second. "I think theyve both done a good job so its a tough call," said Gibbons. Dickey, as he did last spring when the decision was made to take Blanco over Thole, insists he doesnt have, and insists he doesnt want, input in the process. Timeline for Roster Finalization Gibbons hopes to have his final roster determined before the Blue Jays leave for Montreal, where theyll play two exhibition games versus the Mets on Friday and Saturday, before the club departs on Thursday evening. 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