Red Wings Sign McCarty

October 7, 1999 / 6:00 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Darren McCarty rejoined the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday after signing a three-year, $5.4 million contract, his agent said.

McCarty, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward, signed Wednesday night and took the first available flight Thursday to Atlanta, where the Red Wings were to play the expansion Thrashers.

"To know that we've got Darren tied for three years is a good feeling," general manager Ken Holland said during a teleconference, calling McCarty "a leader on the ice."

"In the end, the deal we came to, the numbers where we came out probably is right in the middle for players of Darren's age, importance and years of NHL experience," Holland added.

McCarty's agent, Pat Morris, said the deal calls for $1.65 million in its first year, then $1.8 million and $1.95 million the next two years "with significant bonuses."

Morris said the deal was "within shouting distance" of what McCarty sought. The agent refused to confirm reports his client pressed for $6 million.

Last season, the 27-year-old McCarty scored 14 goals and added 26 assists for Detroit. With the Red Wings, he has been a part of two Stanley Cup-winning teams this decade, scoring the game-winning goal against Philadelphia in the final game of the 1997 championship series.

With a new contract under his belt, Morris said, McCarty is "feeling very positive with the season and the opportunity he's going to have to contribute."