I kind of hate how every NHL contract is max term with the expectation that the last few years are LTIR or trade with retention.
In the NFL, Trevor Lawrence, a 24-year-old former #1 overall pick, just signed a massive contract that people are questioning is worth it... but it's still only 5 years. Even if they pay it all out and want to move on he's only 29 when it's over. And there's always ways out of deals in the NFL.
The fact every NHL deal for good to great players needs to be 7 or 8 years and is ironclad guaranteed is really strangling a lot of player movement and the excitement that comes with trades and free agency. I don't think it's good for the game or fans. There's so many guys getting overpaid for old work and coasting on past accomplishments for the last 3-4 years of a deal.
It's very good for the players, though, so I will concede that.