The Ducks extended Randy Carlyle’s contract two years today, keeping him behind the bench in Anaheim until the 2010-11 season. More to come … stay tuned.

Update: The contract is in the $1.2-$1.3 million range. That’s more than the $1 million the Penguins just gave Michel Therrien to stay in Pittsburgh — and he just played for a Stanley Cup.

You could say the contract sends a clear message that the Ducks’ failure to go farther in the playoffs this past season wasn’t the coach’s fault. Brian Burke said it himself: “Right after the season, we talked about an extension and agreed to terms. We kept it under our hats for no particular reason. I wouldn’t have changed our view based on the playoffs anyways.”

The juicier news item around the league might have been Burke’s comments regarding his own future in Anaheim. They haven’t changed.

“Whatever personal decision I’m trying to reach shouldn’t affect the [coaching] staff,” he said. Asked if that means the GM still doesn’t know what he wants to do after his contract expires in 2009, he said: “that means the manager still doesn’t know what he wants to do.

“I hate to get this whole thing diluted. Tomorrow’s press clipping should be about Randy. I’d hate to see that get bogged down with my situation. You all know what’s involved. There have been no meetings. I don’t think it would be honest on my part to schedule another meeting until I know what I want to do.”

As for tomorrow’s press clippings … it will be about Randy. Most of it, at least.