WOW- I did not see this coming with the season having started. I’m late to the party but wanted to comment. I am absolutely thrilled by this deal. It will look extremely team-friendly in several years as salaries continue to rise. It is fantastic that Shero was able to avoid the bridge contract that so many RFAs signed late this summer. I have little doubt Nico would have commanded more than 7.25 AAV 3-4 years from now. Eliminating 3 years of UFA status is also a huge win for the Devils. I am very glad team and player got this done now, avoiding potential RFA drama that plagued so many teams recently.
This kind of contract also shows how highly the organization regards Nico and their confidence that he will continue to progress and live up to the AAV (which is still a high enough number that is nothing to sneeze at). Hopefully Hall is next...
On a side note, has anyone heard any whispers about what Nico’s injury is and when he may be back? The long gaps in the Devils schedule over the next two weeks are good timing for Nico to get well and hopefully not miss too many games.