NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis has signed an eight-year deal worth $50 million that keeps under contract through the 2026-27 season.

The 27-year-old Ellis will earn $6.25 million annually starting in 2019-20. He has one year remaining on the five-year, $12.5 million contract he signed on Oct. 5, 2014.

The Predators now have three of their top four defensemen (Ellis, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm) signed through the 2021-22 season and Roman Josi signed through 2019-20.

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Dylan Larkin has secured his future with the Detroit Red Wings while leaving open a potential opportunity to cash in again.

The 22-year-old center re-signed with a $30.5 million, five-year contract. He was a restricted free agent and will be unrestricted when the deal is done.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) The New Jersey Devils have re-signed defenseman Steven Santini to a three-year, $4.25 million contract.

General manager Ray Shero said Tuesday that Santini will earn $1.1 million this season, $1.5 million the next and $1.65 million in 2020-21.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Kevin Rooney to a two-year contract.

General Manager Ray Shero announced the contract Monday. He says the first year will be a two-way deal in which Rooney will earn $700,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level, with $70,000 guaranteed. The second year is worth $700,000 at the NHL level.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Coyotes have signed center Christian Dvorak to a six-year contract extension averaging $4.45 million per year.

The deal, announced Thursday, will keep Dvorak in Arizona through 2024-25.

David Poile will be honored this winter for a lifetime in hockey. He believes he still has plenty left to do.

The Nashville Predators general manager is the headliner for the 2018 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Former University of Michigan coach Red Berenson, three-time Olympic medalist Natalie Darwitz, retired NHL referee Paul Stewart, Poile and the late Leland "Hago" Harrington will be inducted on Dec. 12 at a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.

CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Blackhawks have announced plans for a public visitation for Hall of Fame forward Stan Mikita on Sunday.

Mikita, who helped lead the Blackhawks to the 1961 Stanley Cup title while becoming one of the franchise's most revered figures, died Tuesday. He was 78.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) John Gibson has grown up with the Anaheim Ducks, and they want the goalie guarding their net for many years to come.

Gibson agreed to an eight-year, $51.2 million extension with the Ducks on Saturday, keeping him with the club through the 2026-27 season.

LAS VEGAS (AP) William Karlsson and the Vegas Golden Knights avoided arbitration with a $5.25 million, one-year contract for the high-scoring forward.

General manager George McPhee announced the deal Saturday. Karlsson gets a significant raise from his previous $1 million salary.

BEIJING (AP) Wayne Gretzky has been named a global ambassador for Beijing's Kunlun Red Star as the Chinese capital seeks to boost the profile of hockey domestically ahead of hosting the Winter Olympics in 2022.

Gretzky will focus on youth development in China, including a planned KRS-Gretzky Hockey School that will provide advanced training for players aged 8-17 in Beijing and the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, eventually expanding to at least 20 locations nationwide.