Longtime Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov signed with Russian club Ak Bars Kazan on Monday.

The team said the 38-year-old Markov signed a two-year contract to play in the Kontinental Hockey League, a week after Montreal said it would not keep the defenseman for a 17th NHL season. 

Markov will be reunited with Ak Bars coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, who coached Markov on Russia's Olympic team in 2014.

"I'm fired up to work and hope we'll be successful," Markov said.

The Blue Jackets have signed Head Coach John Tortorella to a one-year contract extension through the 2018-19 NHL season, club GM Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Since joining the club on Oct. 21, 2015, Tortorella has led the Blue Jackets to an 84-57-16 record and .586 points percentage.

“John Tortorella and his coaching staff have done a terrific job since his arrival nearly two years ago,” said Kekalainen. “He is one of the top coaches in our game and we are excited about what lies ahead for our club with John as our head coach.”

Tortorella won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year after leading the Blue Jackets to the best season in the club’s 17-year history last season.

“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity I have to coach this team and be part of a wonderful community that has been very welcoming to my family, so I thank the McConnell family, Mike Priest, John Davidson, Jarmo Kekalainen, our staff and the entire organization,” said Tortorella. “I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken as a team and I look forward to continuing to work with a very good group of coaches and players.”

GM David Poile has made it clear he's been looking for a top center since first hired to build the Nashville Predators 20 years ago.

He believes he has just that in Ryan Johansen, and that's why the Predators rewarded the 24-year-old center Friday with an eight-year, $64 million contract. It's the biggest deal the franchise has ever handed out.

The Coyotes hired John MacLean and Scott Allen on Wednesday as assistant coaches on Rick Tocchet's staff.

MacLean played 18 NHL seasons with four teams before becoming an assistant coach in the Devils organization for seven seasons. He was an assistant with the Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014 and served as an analyst for the NHL Network from 2015 to 2017.

A former minor league player, Allen served as an assistant coach with the Rangers from 2009 to 2012 and has held numerous coaching jobs in the minors, most recently with the San Antonio Rampage.

The Buffalo Sabres have re-signed goaltender Robin Lehner to a one-year, $4 million contract.

The team announced the deal Tuesday. Lehner was a restricted free agent.

The Rangers have signed center Mika Zibanejad to a five-year, $26.75 million deal.

The Rangers are counting on him to take on a bigger role following the trade of Derek Stepan to the Coyotes.

GM Jeff Gorton announced the contract Tuesday morning, before the team and Zibanejad were set to go to arbitration.

Defenseman Johnny Oduya has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Senators that includes bonus provisions that could add up to another $1.25 million.

He can achieve bonuses for games played, time on the ice and various playoff incentives.

Oduya, 35, had two goals and nine points in 52 games last season between the Stars and Blackhawks.

The Arizona Coyotes have signed restricted free-agent forward Jordan Martinook to a two-year, $3.6 million contract, avoiding arbitration.

The contract, announced Saturday, will pay Martinook $1.75 million this season and $1.85 million next year.

The Nashville Predators are making sure they keep Viktor Arvidsson, re-signing him to a seven-year deal worth $29.75 million.

General manager David Poile announced the deal Saturday night, hours after the team and Arvidsson went to arbitration. Arvidsson will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through 2022-23 after a 45-point scoring improvement from 2015-16 in his first full season with the Predators.

The Senators avoided arbitration with restricted free-agent forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau on Monday by agreeing to terms on a $9.3 million, three-year contract.

The 24-year-old center will earn $2.6 million next season, $3.3 million in 2018-19 and $3.4 million in 2019-20.

Pageau had eight playoff goals last spring, and had 12 goals and 21 assists in 82 regular-season games.