The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Nikita Kucherov to a three-year contract extension worth an average of $4.766 million per season, general manager Steve Yzerman announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes two days prior to the team's season opener, and ends a summer-long negotiation process.

The final result is a team-friendly bridge deal that will keep Kucherov in Tampa for the next three seasons, at which time he will again become a restricted free agent and likely due for the big money contract he was seeking this time around.

Kucherov appeared in 77 games for the Lightning last season, breaking out to the tune of 30 goals and 66 points - both career highs - while adding 11 goals and 19 points in 17 playoff games to further prove his importance to the club.

The deal leaves the Lightning with little cap room to work with as the new season gets set to begin.