over the last few months a John Scott here, a stripped captaincy there but at the end of the day, they're still running a smart organization. A five-year deal with defenseman Justin Braun, worth $3.8 million annually and announced on Wednesday, is that latest example. At 27 years old, Braun is a legitimate top-four defenseman on a good team with good years ahead of him, and those typically aren't cheap. A $3.8 million cap hit, even this far in advance, won't be among the 50 highest Trevor Story Jersey in the league next season, let alone down the road as salaries continue to rise. "Justin has emerged as one of our most well-rounded and dependable defensemen," general manager Doug Wilson in a released statement. "He's an excellent skater who excels in matching up against the opponents top players on a nightly basis and fits in well with our core group of younger players. We feel Justin has just scratched the surface of his talent and we are excited to have him under contract for the next six seasons." Braun doesn't rack up counting stats; he plays lots of effectiveminutes (nearly 21 a game) againt tough competition in tough circumstances. No Sharks defenseman started a larger portion of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone last year, but of shot attempts while Braun was on the ice. Braun's microstats last year were amazing. 2nd best Sharks dman at zone exits, breaking up opposing rushes and forcing dump-ins. Fear The Fin (@fearthefin) And the guy he's second to is Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who deservedly showed up on Norris ballots last season.That'd be good for any player, let alone one given Braun's minutes. Unle s he declines significantly or the salary cap nosedives the Sharks locked up a good one. Hirokazu Sawamura Jersey