Looks like the Kipper isn’t going anywhere for awhile. Several sources are reporting the Calgary Flames have re-signed their star goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff to a six-year contract extension that will pay him a total of $35 million. He would’ve been eligible for for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season but the Flames smartly know that their team’s success depends on the Kipper as much as any other member of the squad. Kiprusoff will remain with the Flames organization through to the 13/14 season, when he’ll be 37.

Strangely enough, however, he resigned for slightly less than most analysts believed he would. Many believed he was looking for a deal closer to captain Jarome Iginla’s, which pays an even $7m per season. Kipper’s breaks down to roughly $5.83m per, which makes him only the fourth highest paid goalie, behind Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo ($6.75m), Chicago’s Nikolai Khabibulin ($6.75m) and Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastien Giguere ($6m). This is a surprise since the 2006 Vezina trophy winner could probably command more.

I’m not sure about the structure of the deal but I’m almost sure it’s very front-loaded much like many of the big free-agent signings this off-season so Kipper would receive most of the $35m in the next couple seasons.

This puts the Flames at about $39m so far in salaries for next season where they’ll have some serious decisions to make in terms of which players to bring back as key UFA’s include Daymond Langkow, Kristian Huselius and Craig Conroy. They’ll also have to secure their young blue-chip defenseman Dion Phaneuf, who becomes a restricted free agent in 08/09. You can almost hear Kevin Lowe drafting up the offer sheet.

Langkow broke out last season with a 77-point performance but was consistantly in the 50-60 range previously. After several average years in Florida, Kristian Huselius also racked up 77 points last season and both could receive significant raises over their $2.44m and $1.4m salaries, respectively. However, the big payout might go to Phaneuf, who has had 49 and 50 points in his first two NHL seasons and everyone knows he’s going to get even better as he gains more experience. He’s only 22 and already one of the league’s best blueliners.