Report: Logan Couture, Sharks Agree to 8-Year Contract Worth $64 Million

The San Jose Sharks have made a long-term commitment to center Logan Couture.

Per the Associated Press, Couture agreed Saturday to an eight-year extension worth $64 million that could be made official as soon as Sunday, the first day he is eligible to sign.

Couture's new deal will kick in when his current contract expires after the 2018-19 season, keeping him under contract to the Sharks through 2026-27.

The Sharks have gotten out front in locking up their core players to long-term extensions before they are eligible to hit free agency. They gave defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic his own eight-year deal and goalie Martin Jones a six-year contract last summer.

Couture, who was drafted ninth overall by the Sharks in 2007, is coming off one of his most productive seasons in the NHL. The 29-year-old scored a career-high 34 goals in 78 games, and his 61 points were his most since the 2014-15 campaign.

The Sharks have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and won the Western Conference in 2015-16. Keeping their core group together for a long time will ensure continued success as they look to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.