Chiarelli, Wideman on new contract

GM Peter Chiarelli and Dennis Wideman concluded a conference call to comment on the defenseman's four-year, $15.5 million contract.

"Over the course of this year, he has truly entered into a new level of play," said Chiarelli. "It's one we had projected, but we're very happy to see him get there. He's a puck mover, a tremendous competitor, he fits into our system, and he logs a lot of ice time."

Wideman, a former eighth-round pick who earned $600,000 in 2007-08, acknowledged a sense of disbelief when pondering his new deal.

"If you asked me two years ago if I'd ever be signing a four-year contract and making that kind of money, I would have laughed at you," Wideman said. "To come this far in a year and have this come together, I feel really fortunate. I'm happy."

* Chiarelli on the batty market for young, puck-moving defensemen: "The market is what it is. There might have been a couple contract this summer that people shake their head at. But the fact of the matter is -- and this applies to Dennis -- is that he showed he can put in minutes. Regardless of whether he played with [Zdeno Chara] or not, he can compete, put up points, play an effective power play. But, most effectively, he's able to spot that first pass, make that pass, and contribute to the flow and pace going the other way. The market is what it is. You have to adhere to it to a certain degree."

* Wideman credited Chara and the coaching staff for his 2007-08 jump in play. "They were quite hard on me," Wideman said of Claude Julien and Craig Ramsay. "Sometimes when I made a play that I probably shouldn't have and it worked out, they still let me know on the bench that they didn't want me making that on a regular basis. They were drilling that in my head over and over again. And getting to play with Chara for the majority of the season makes everybody look a little better."

* Wideman said his groin injury -- he had considered postseason surgery but opted for rest -- is progressing well.