Value of: Connor Bedard’s next contract

[Frank Drebin]

2x3.75 prove it deal

 

[TGWL]

If Chicago is smart, bridge him with the MacKinnon deal and see where he trends.

Mackinnon didn't bridge. Unless you're just referring to the cap hit. Mackinnon contract after the ELC was 7 years.

If Bedard is smart he will take a 2 year bridge. I'm sure Chicago would love to lock him up longer for less.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

He should ask for near the max, Chicago has gutted their team and are at his mercy.

 

[McSuper]

Canucks will offer him a one year $18 million/max offer sheet. Hawks won't match, Canucks will then re-sign him to an 8 year deal with an average similar to Pettersson.

Why would he want to sign with the Canucks ? Doesn’t their best players want out? I’m unsure of the second question as I could’ve read that on HF boards

 

[Quinning]

Go as long as you can and take advantage of his underwhelming start imo

The ole Nathan MacKinnon special.

Why would he want to sign with the Canucks ? Doesn’t their best players want out? I’m unsure of the second question as I could’ve read that on HF boards

He's a die-hard Canucks fan.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Get out while you can. Hawks been rebuild is taking way too long

2 years?

 

[eojsmada]

Depends on whether you think you're paying him to be a center or a winger. If the former it's 11-12M AAV, if the latter, it's probably 9-10.5M AAV.

 

[EK392000]

Depends on whether you think you're paying him to be a center or a winger. If the former it's 11-12M AAV, if the latter, it's probably 9-10.5M AAV.

Has he ever played wing in the NHL?

 

[centipede2233]

I think if your Chicago you need to take advantage of the underwelming start relative to expectations. 8 yrs times 10.5-11 mil. If bedard only wants 5 yrs like matthews 5 yrs times 9 mil

 

[eojsmada]

Has he ever played wing in the NHL?

That's whole point. I don't think he will stay at Center for his career. So it's just a matter of whether Chicago believes he can or not. For me, he's too under-sized to handle the 1C role in the NHL and would be better off moving to the wing, like he did for Canada in the WJC where he was super effective.

 

[WarriorofTime]

If Chicago is smart, bridge him with the MacKinnon deal and see where he trends.

That's not a bridge. That's extending for cheap because the player hadn't shown more to that point. This is similar to what happened with Stutzle and Jack Hughes as well. It can be beneficial because the player is looking for financial security and the team gets a winning gamble that the player is going to make a huge leap forward in their early to mid 20s and be a major steal (in the team's favor) for the bulk of the deal.

A bridge is like what Lafreniere signed prior to his 7-year extension. Generally anything that's 1 or 2 years for not that much money. It basically sets a player on a path to go one of two directions, one where they play really well and earn a big contract extension at the end, another where they don't play very well and come out with another short deal or perhaps the sides part ways.

Players like Mackinnon, Jack Hughes and Stutzle could have made themselves a lot more money long-term had they taken a short bridge and then extended once they blew up. But on the other side of things, if you give a player 7 or 8 years and he never improves, you're just left with an unproductive, and now financially wealthy so perhaps somewhat unmotivated player with a lot of contract term and still pretty high AAV commitment.

 

[x Tame Impala]

8 years $12m would be great. He hasn't earned $12m yet but he's clearly got the talent and I'd rather him follow the MacKinnon route where he's underpaid in his prime and we can win a Cup before his next big contract kicks in when he's 29.