Cats Agree to Terms with C Olli Jokinen

Four-year Contract Extension for Cats Captain

SUNRISE, FL – Florida Panthers general manager Mike Keenan announced today that the club has agreed to terms with C Olli Jokinen on a four-year contract extension. Jokinen currently paces the Panthers with a career-best 66 points (29-37-66).

"We are extremely happy to have reached an agreement with Olli today," said Keenan. "This agreement is further proof that our organization is committed to bringing a playoff contender to South Florida. Olli is an elite player and proven leader who will be looked upon to help guide this franchise into a new era of success."

Click here to read transcripts from today's press conference.

Jokinen ranks among the franchise leaders with 234 points (6th), 106 goals (3rd), 128 assists (6th), 20 game-winning goals (3rd), and 37 power-play goals (3rd). This season he joined Pavel Bure as only the second player in franchise history to record three consecutive 20-goal seasons.

For his career in the National Hockey League Jokinen has played in 539 contests for three different teams (Florida, New York Islanders & Los Angeles) recording 126 goals, 150 assists and 276 points. Jokinen has posted more than 50 points three times in his eight-year playing career, including two seasons of 60-plus points (2002-03 & 2005-06). He was originally acquired from the NY Islanders along with Roberto Luongo on June 24, 2000 in exchange for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.

Named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team in the 2002-03 season, Jokinen scored a goal and added three assists. Most recently, he starred on the Finnish Olympic squad earning a silver medal at the 2006 Torino Winter Games, posting eight points (6-2) and a +/- rating of plus-5.