Top actual salaries in the NHL at time of signing:
Shea Weber: $14 million
Jonathan Toews: $13.8 million
Patrick Kane: $13.8 million
Sidney Crosby: $12 million
Henrik Lundqvist: $10 million
Alex Ovechkin: $10 million
Some interesting notes along the way. Weber maintains a manageable cap hit because of a massive $68 million signing bonus spread out over his first four years. Toew's and Kane's contracts includes $44 million in signing bonuses. Crosby's contract is structured in a way that is now against the CBA rules, and is only what it is because of three years at the tail end where he is paid $3 million a season. Lundqvist's salary cap hit was managed by a $14 million signing bonus. Ovechkin is the only player to see his salary escalate over the term of the contract.
First thing Oilers fans need to do is get over this "Oiler thing" they are clinging to. This would happen if McDavid were playing for any other team in the NHL. This is business. There is no way that McDavid takes a cent under league max. It just isn't in the player's or players' best interests. Any agency worth their salt will milk as much out of whatever team he plays for. Also, there is no way he signs for anything more than five years. What benefit would there be for him to give up any UFA years, when every team in the league will again be lining up with massive offers? The goal here is to get the player the max dollars and the minimum term, so he can then get all the benefits from the next negotiation, where all benefits are on the table.
My guess for the next McDavid contract is in the ball park of $72-75 million over a five year term. This is what the Orr agency and the NHLPA will want out of the deal. The eal after that is where the real games begin and all the loop holes come out of the woodwork to make the McDavid signing the model for the next generation of superstar contracts.
Shea Weber: $14 million
Jonathan Toews: $13.8 million
Patrick Kane: $13.8 million
Sidney Crosby: $12 million
Henrik Lundqvist: $10 million
Alex Ovechkin: $10 million
Some interesting notes along the way. Weber maintains a manageable cap hit because of a massive $68 million signing bonus spread out over his first four years. Toew's and Kane's contracts includes $44 million in signing bonuses. Crosby's contract is structured in a way that is now against the CBA rules, and is only what it is because of three years at the tail end where he is paid $3 million a season. Lundqvist's salary cap hit was managed by a $14 million signing bonus. Ovechkin is the only player to see his salary escalate over the term of the contract.
First thing Oilers fans need to do is get over this "Oiler thing" they are clinging to. This would happen if McDavid were playing for any other team in the NHL. This is business. There is no way that McDavid takes a cent under league max. It just isn't in the player's or players' best interests. Any agency worth their salt will milk as much out of whatever team he plays for. Also, there is no way he signs for anything more than five years. What benefit would there be for him to give up any UFA years, when every team in the league will again be lining up with massive offers? The goal here is to get the player the max dollars and the minimum term, so he can then get all the benefits from the next negotiation, where all benefits are on the table.
My guess for the next McDavid contract is in the ball park of $72-75 million over a five year term. This is what the Orr agency and the NHLPA will want out of the deal. The eal after that is where the real games begin and all the loop holes come out of the woodwork to make the McDavid signing the model for the next generation of superstar contracts.
