"Months ago, it was fine for Bobby Ryan to wait and see what was possible heading into his first big contract. And if it meant drawing a hard line at times with the Ducks in negotiations, then so be it.

Training camp eventually appeared around the corner instead of being off in the distance and with contract talks essentially at a standstill, Ryan decided that it was up to him to find a way to break through the impasse.

The club's top young sniper drove both sides back to the table for nearly two weeks of discussions and the payoff was a five-year deal worth $25.5 million that pleased both sides as he signed the contract Tuesday.

Negotiations on a long-term extension stalled over the summer. The Ducks wanted to sign Ryan for five years; he wanted three. He turned down a $25 million offer in June, which irked GM Bob Murray.

But with the club set to take their physicals Friday and open training camp Saturday, Ryan said he looked ahead and saw the need to talk directly to Murray and get the club back to talking with his agent, Don Meehan, before Labor Day.

"I spoke with Bob Murray probably four or five times in the last week at the least and he told me where he was at and some things he thought needed to be addressed with the team," Ryan said. "I said, 'We're on the same page. Ultimately we're on the same side."

"We did come to things together. My agent was certainly in on it. He felt like it's a win-win situation. I was just happy to do right by both sides."

The Ducks also didn't want Ryan's contract situation and a possible holdout becoming a distraction heading into the season."