TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts have extended kicker Lirim Hajrullahu’s stay with the club, announcing Wednesday the sides have agreed on a contract extension.

Hajrullahu, a kicker and punter who completed his first season with the Double Blue in November, was due to to become a free agent on Feb. 14.

The 26-year-old made a career-high 88.1 per cent of his field goal tries in 2016, bouncing back from a forgettable 2015 in which he struggled to a clip of 68.8 per cent. The three-year veteran made 37 of 42 attempts this season, returning to his 2014 form when he was named the West Division’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

The Argonauts’ Most Outstanding Canadian and Special Teams Player etched his name in team history earlier this season, converting 15 straight field goals across five games to tie Noel Prefontaine for the club’s third-longest streak. His six field goals in Week 3 against the BC Lions marked the second-most in the team’s single-game history, while his 53-yard connection in Week 6 against Ottawa tied a career-long.

In 53 career CFL games, Hajrullahu has converted 99-of-120 field goals (82.5%, LG 53) and averaged 44.2 yards per punt on 349 attempts.

The Western University product originally signed with the Double Blue as a free agent on February 9, 2016, after spending two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.