New deal ensures Giguere will return to Ducks’ nest

All along, Jean-Sebastien Giguere made it clear that he wanted to stay with the Ducks, and on Thursday they obliged.

The Ducks made Giguere one of the NHL’s highest-paid goaltenders in signing him to a four-year, $24-million contract extension, thereby addressing one of their priority issues after winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup two weeks ago.

One of the lead performers in the team’s run to the championship this month, the 30-year-old Giguere would have been an unrestricted free agent July 1 -- although he had been steadfast in his desire to stay in Anaheim.

With that clear objective, Giguere said he told his agent, Bob Sauve, to do what he could to broker a deal.

“We had some goals in mind that we wanted, and our priority was to make a deal here,” Giguere said. “My family and I just wanted to be part of this great organization. We wanted to stay in California. We like it here. I think there was a willingness on both sides to get a deal done.”

According to sources familiar with the deal, Giguere will be paid $5.5 million in 2007-08 and 2008-09, $6 million the following season and $7 million in the final year of the contract. Sauve confirmed that a full no-trade clause was included.

“They wanted to sign Jiggy, and they showed him a lot of respect,” Sauve said. “The only way it wasn’t going to work was if something was going to be out of whack or crazy or didn’t make any sense. His wish from day one was to sign with them.”

With the re-signing of the popular goaltender, the Ducks have addressed one of their chief concerns this off-season. Giguere reestablished himself as one of the league’s top goalies with a 36-10-8 record and 2.26 goals-against average last season.

Selected most valuable player in the 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, Giguere again proved his worth last postseason with a 13-4 record and 1.97 goals-against average. And that was achieved despite sitting out the first three games in order to care for his son, Maxime, who was born with a deformed right eye April 4.

Had he tested the free-agent market, Giguere would have been the most sought-after goalie available, with several teams, including the Kings, in pursuit of the Montreal native. It’s also possible that he could have commanded a more lucrative contract elsewhere.

“I think when you examine the terms and the money involved, it’s clear J.S. Giguere wanted to stay,” Ducks General Manager Brian Burke said. “Had he gone to July 1, I think he’d have obtained a higher deal. When a player makes that type of gesture and that type of commitment, it should never go unnoticed.”

The long-term commitment to Giguere and the May 25 signing of Swiss netminder Jonas Hiller, who is 25 and considered to be NHL-ready, probably means Ilya Bryzgalov will be shopped this summer.

Bryzgalov, who’ll turn 27 today, was 10-8-6 with a 2.46 goals-against average in 2006-07. Signed to a two-year, $2.36-million contract last September, the Russian goalie also has nine playoff victories in the last two seasons. “Ilya Bryzgalov has clearly established himself,” Burke said. “I expect him to ask me for a new home.”

Burke said he has yet to hear from either Scott Niedermayer or Teemu Selanne on whether either will continue playing or retire. Niedermayer is signed for two more seasons, and Selanne’s contract expires June 30, although he has said he would sign only with the Ducks if he returns.

The Ducks have roughly $35 million committed to 15 players, and Burke said he expects to have a payroll between $42 million and $44 million, although owners Henry and Susan Samueli have yet to set the budget.

The general manager, however, is happy that one major issue behind him.

“We’ve won one championship, and we intend to immediately begin competing for another one,” Burke said. “It’d be very difficult to do without J.S. Giguere.”

eric.stephens@latimes.com