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Torrey Mitchell could have tested the National Hockey League’s free-agent market on July 1, but the opportunity to stay home for three more years and play for the Canadiens was too much to resist.

“They said they wanted to re-sign me when I had my year-end meeting,” said Mitchell, 30, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at last season’s NHL trade deadline in exchange for forward Jack Nevins and a seventh-round pick in the 2016 entry draft.

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“(GM Marc) Bergevin followed up on it. He called a few weeks later and said he was going to stand by his word. He wasn’t messing around, he told me he wanted me back. I didn’t really feel the need to talk to my agent about other teams.”

On June 15, Mitchell — who grew up in Greenfield Park on the South Shore of Montreal — agreed to a three-year contract with the Canadiens worth US$3.6 million.

Mitchell filled a key role with the Canadiens last season as a defensive fourth-line centre who could take important faceoffs. After picking up only one assist in 14 regular-season games with Montreal, Mitchell shone during the playoffs with one goal and four assists in 12 games to go along with a plus-4 rating, while averaging 12:30 of ice time.