Anaheim Ducks sign C Daniel Winnik to 2-year deal

Winnik has played five NHL seasons with Phoenix, Colorado and the Sharks, who acquired him last Feb. 27 and let him leave as an unrestricted free agent. He was eager to stay in the Western Conference, and after going unsigned in the early days of the NHL's free-agent frenzy, he finally reached a deal with the Ducks.

"It's a good mix of talent and ruggedness throughout the lineup," Winnik said of his new club. "I was hoping to stay out West, just with the familiarity of playing all the teams, more so the Pacific Division, having been there for three years. I've always loved the West Coast, and have been out there for so long now."

The Toronto native and former ninth-round draft pick scored a career-high 26 points as a rookie with the Coyotes in 2007-08, matching that total with the Avalanche in 2010-11. Winnik played an NHL-high 84 games last season thanks to his midseason trade, scoring 23 points for his two clubs.

Winnik began his career as a center, but has played all three positions up front. He will be a depth forward and a left-handed shot who could compete for a third- or fourth-line center spot with Nick Bonino and Andrew Cogliano, who is Winnik's close friend.