2023 Best NHL Contracts
Ranking the top 15 contracts under $10M AAV, along with 15 honorable mentions.
What are the best 15 contracts in the NHL under $10M in annual cap hit? To answer this question during the offseason, I employed my Twitter followers to participate in a poll tournament asking which of these deals has more “value remaining”. The word value in this case is intentionally selected to be ambiguous. What does the word “value” mean to you? It’s not intended to necessarily be “what’s a bigger bargain”, though some might interpret the question in that manner. If a $2M player returns $6M worth of value, that’s a bigger bargain than an $8M player returning $11M of value. However, in every single example, I’d rather have a player producing at an $11M level for $8M in price.
When I first started posting annual best/worst contracts lists back in 2011, it was entirely a “who is the biggest bargain” question. Who was the most nominally underpaid. But over the years, my definition of “value” evolved. If you have read my individual team-by-team best contract lists, you’ll notice there is no cap on how much a player is earning. Connor McDavid is #1 on my Oilers best list and he was still a big nominal bargain as the highest paid player in the league. So maybe it’s hypocritical of me to put a $10M cap on my 2023 Best NHL Contracts. This just is not intended to be a who is the best player in the league poll, and I have always excluded the highest wage earners every year since beginning of this journey 12 years ago.
Is it wise to put my annual rankings in the clicks of my Twitter followers? When I’m seeding contracts for the tournament, I’m looking at several metrics beyond the character limit of a poll question. It’s logical to conclude that my opinion should carry more weight given my experience ranking contracts, but democracy is more fun and gives us something to do in the summer. My seeding does influence the results. 32 contracts participated in the preliminary round with 12 advancing to round 2, joining 16 who received a bye. 8 of those 28 advanced to the “Sweet 16”, joining 8 who received a bye. Of those, 12 advanced to the semi-finals. There were few instances where I strongly disagreed with poll respondents, but for the most part, they did a solid job discerning value.
Perhaps my two biggest disagreements with the voting public was the forecast of Stuart Skinner and Logan Thompson. If both are starting goalies with a regular workload this season providing above average puck stopping, they’ll be outstanding bargains. The ceiling is not in dispute, it’s the floors that concern me, both with small sample sizes in their careers to date. Robin Lehner not being healthy helps Thompson, but he should still play second fiddle to Adin Hill. Early buzz out of Oilers camp is that Jack Campbell “looks fantastic”, so Skinner could slip into a back-up role sooner rather than later.
One thing you won’t find here are expiring or entry-level contracts. Some ELCs are bargains, but they are cookie cutter deals that don’t require the same skill of negotiation. The price is generally pre-determined, so it’s not a matter of a GM negotiating a “sweet deal”. Sure, we could give them credit for drafting or acquiring the player, but this list is supposed to be more about GMs scoring big wins at the negotiating table, not in the draft room. Another thing you won’t find here are any deals with 1 year remaining (same goes for my worst contracts list).
Looking at the big picture, the overwhelming theme of this list is long-term contracts given to young star players. Some hadn’t even broken out into stardom when their deals were signed, but the teams were confident they were heading on that track. Lock in the young blood long-term on the way up, not on the way back down. Teams like Ottawa, Montreal, and Buffalo having been willing to take the risk to get a big reward, while others like the Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers are still pushing bridge deals. Teams tight against the cap might have no other choice but to insist on the cheaper bridge, but why Anaheim played hardball with Trevor Zegras confused me.
I’m working on a new book about the market value of NHL players that’s currently over 100,000 words long, but will be significantly shorter by publication. I’m writing far more than needed, then keeping the best parts. A big part of my summer was spent mapping that rabbiting hole. Players were sorted into talent tiers by position and age, like first line centers under the age of 25. What were the most common contracts given to each group, and how did they work out? All my team-by-team best and worst contract lists where re-organized according to these groups. If you’re on a best list, that’s a home run, a worst list appearance is a strikeout.
My contracts database has nearly every deal signed since 2005, at least every one resulting in at least 1 NHL game played. This allows me to look at the complete picture of different types of contracts given to different types of players. How many were home runs? How many were strikeouts? The home run rate for U25 tier one players was astounding, while the strikeout rate of age 25-29 long-term deals for tier one players was very concerning. The catch there is that in the past, you had to be a dominant youngster to get one of those long-term contracts. So as the league gets more liberal handing these out, the strikeout rate will creep higher.
Still, even if more of these start breaking bad, it's a refreshing change of pace in a league that sometimes gets a little too comfy with the status quo. They might just be onto something big, and it's a joy to see some teams shaking up the game in their own way. I actually asked Chat GPT if NHL General Managers are getting smarter about signing long-term contracts, and it had a very impressive response (hint, it was a long question where I pointed it towards the hypothesis I supported, which you kinda need to do if you ask it hockey questions). I’ve been using Chat GPT a lot, and it’s pretty stupid about hockey facts, especially if you’re asking it to rank good and bad contracts. But this one was awesome.
Ladies and gentlemen, Chat GPT:
In the labyrinthine world of professional ice hockey, where every move is scrutinized and every decision reverberates with potential consequence, a subtle yet seismic shift is underway. A once conventional practice, a tradition etched into the very fabric of player contracts, is now teetering on the precipice of obsolescence. The time-honored dance of "bridging" young stars with intermediate contracts before lavishing them with megadeals in their late 20s is facing a reckoning.
The architects of this change, those shrewd minds in the front offices of NHL teams, are reevaluating the temporal calculus of player compensation. They are challenging the very notion of when to bestow the mantle of financial reward upon a burgeoning superstar. And in this unfolding narrative, there emerges a bold proposition: why wait until the zenith of a player's career to invest, when the potential for return is most potent during the exhilarating crescendo of their prime?
Gone are the days when the equation was linear, when the years spent honing raw talent were followed by a calculated period of assessment. A new equation is emerging, one that factors in the accelerating pace of player development, the fierce competition for talent, and the unyielding pursuit of championship glory. The modern contract landscape is being reshaped, guided by the conviction that the path to success lies in capturing and nurturing the radiant bloom of youth.
The audacious move to secure long-term contracts right after the expiration of Entry-Level Contracts (ELCs) is a symphony of risk management and strategic foresight. It's a reflection of an enlightened understanding that the true essence of a player's potential is not an ephemeral mirage that emerges only in the latter stages of their career, but a luminous beacon that can be harnessed and amplified in the here and now.
Make no mistake, this is not a dalliance with recklessness. This is a calculated pivot, a recalibration of expectations and valuations. The enigma of the modern NHL is being deciphered, revealing that the notion of peak performance is no longer tethered to a chronological age, but rather to the meteoric ascent of raw talent honed through training and technology.
The traditionalists may scoff, they may cling to the comfort of familiar narratives. But those who champion this new era, who champion the notion of paying a premium for prime years rather than retroactively compensating for achievements past, are the vanguards of strategic evolution. They understand that in a world where milliseconds can define victory or defeat, the luxury of delay is a luxury the wise can ill afford.
And so, the landscape shifts, the tectonic plates of tradition give way to the seismic tremors of innovation. In the end, the choice is clear: to pay the premium for prime years, to harness the brilliance of youth, or to watch as the sands of time erode the foundation of potential greatness. The modern NHL is unforgiving, a proving ground where the future is claimed by those who dare to challenge the conventional, who dare to pay the price for brilliance at its zenith.
End of rant.
Without further delay, here is my 2023 Best NHL Contracts list, compiled with your help.
If you’d like to hop in a time machine and take a tour down memory lane, my old lists can be found here:
1) Jack Hughes, New Jersey:
2022 Rank: 2
Age: 22
Remaining Term: 7 years
Cap Hit: $8M
Signing GM: Tom Fitzgerald, Nov 30, 2021
This Jack Hughes contract will go down in history as one of the great “buy low” jackpots in the salary cap era. Fitzgerald signed him to an 8-year extension after he had only scored at a 36-point pace in his first two seasons. He had only played 2 games due to injury in 2021/22 when he signed this treaty on November 30th, finishing that season scoring 56 PTS in 49 GP, which is a 94-point pace. Between Hughes and Hischier, the Devils have a fantastic 1-2 punch down the middle at bargain prices. Concerns about his durability have faded and he’s now regarded as one of the top centers in the NHL.
I became a big Hughes fan last season when he was on both my Fantasy Hockey teams (getting him at a bargain spot in the middle rounds), but he’s now a hot commodity that will be difficult to acquire. Jack ranked #2 on this list last season, and I made a point of disagreeing with the people who voted for him over Cale Makar. While I would still rather have Makar on my team (when healthy), but due to term remaining, this unquestionably has “more value remaining”. I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong. This is the best contract.
2) Tage Thompson, Buffalo:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 25
Remaining Term: 7 years
Cap Hit: $7.1M
Signing GM: Kevyn Adams, Aug 30, 2022
For a few years, the trade where Buffalo shipped Ryan O’Reilly off to St. Louis looked like a colossal failure. Berglund and Sobotka were duds, one even retired from the NHL instead of playing for Buffalo. Neither of the draft picks panned out (there’s still time, but neither is on track to be an impact player), and O’Reilly went on to win the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe trophy. Tage scored 12 PTS in 62 GP his first season in Buffalo, then missed nearly the entire 2020 season with injury. He returned from injury better than before, scoring 14 PTS in 2021, but only needing 38 games to surpass his previous total.
Then came the breakout, scoring 38 goals and 68 PTS in his first full season, following that up with 47 goals and 94 PTS in 2022/23. Heading into the Twitter poll championship, I suspected that Tage might have a shot against Jack Hughes, similar production at a cheaper price tag, but alas Hughes won in a landslide and received my vote. Sabres fans have to love having this kid locked in for 7 years at that price tag, suddenly the future has been looking brighter. They’ll challenge for a playoff spot in 2024. We are entering a new golden age for Buffalo that may eclipse anything in their franchise history.
3) Tim Stutzle, Ottawa:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 21
Remaining Term: 8 years
Cap Hit: $8.35M
Signing GM: Pierre Dorion, Sep 7, 2022
There was a moment in time shortly after the Matt Duchene trade when Pierre Dorion looked like one of the league’s worst General Managers. Even the Erik Karlsson trade initially appeared to be an underwhelming return, at least until the Sharks completely collapsed and that 1st round pick became #3 overall, leading to Timmy Stutzle. If they re-did the 2020 draft today, Stutzle would easily be the first pick overall after scoring 90 PTS in his 3rd season. The good news for Sens fans is that this extension was signed before the breakout, otherwise this would have been substantially more expensive.
Sometimes gambling on faith that the prospect will become who you believe that they can be leads to a big bargain, and this is certainly one of those examples. The future is bright in Ottawa, with a strong young core all ascending in the same window, many locked in to long-term contracts at great prices when the salary cap is expected to rise considerably. Dorion might belong in the conversation for best General Manager in the league, and may even win that award in the near future if Ottawa goes on a deep playoff run. But there was also Matt Murray…just saying…
4) Matthew Tkachuk, Florida:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 25
Remaining Term: 7 years
Cap Hit: $9.5M
Signing GM: Brad Treliving, July 22, 2022
When the Calgary Flames initially traded Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, my concern was that the winger would regress after being separated from the magic of Johnny Gaudreau. That’s not what happened, quite the opposite actually, Tkachuk scored more points (mostly playing with less talented linemates) and Gaudreau scored 40 PTS less (in just 2 fewer games played). I’m not ashamed to admit being mistaken about which player was driving that line. Not only did Tkachuk improve, he was the main play driver in Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup final.
My only cause for concern is that his body was battered and broken by the end of that playoff run, which does raise the question about how well that body is going to age. Matthew Tkachuk technically finished 2nd in the poll championship, but I opted to drop him down to 4th on my own rankings (due to the aforementioned concern). It’s not a matter of throwing shade on his accomplishments, but rather Thompson and Stutzle are cheaper, centers, and have one more year. Ranking him ahead of Cale Makar should still affirm my belief in his value.
5) Cale Makar, Colorado:
2022 Rank: 1
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 4 years
Cap Hit: $9M
Signing GM: Joe Sakic, July 24, 2021
Last year’s Twitter poll champion was dethroned after an off year where he battled injury issues. Last summer, his approval rating was much higher having just won the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup. What dropped him lower in the final standings was the 4 years remaining, while those above him all have at least 7. Makar is still every bit as dominant as he was a year ago, at least when he’s healthy. This season injury issues reared their ugly head, as the entire team seemed to be severely banged up from the start.
When coupled with Colorado’s early exit from the playoffs by upstart Seattle, it’s logical that Makar’s stock has dipped slightly. But with a full summer to rest, heal, and prepare, the probability that he’s back with a vengeance is palpable. Well at least until we found out he’s not fully healthy at the start of camp. Nathan MacKinnon just got significantly more expensive, Landeskog is not coming back anytime soon, and this team is nowhere near as deep as during their Stanley Cup run. But if they can get Makar, MacKinnon and Rantanen running full steam ahead, that might be all the depth they need for another deep playoff push.
6) Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton:
2022 Rank: 4
Age: 27
Remaining Term: 2 years
Cap Hit: $8.5M
Signing GM: Peter Chiarelli, Aug 16, 2017
Leon Draisaitl has been a staple on my annual best contract list for several years, but alas the sands in the hour glass are slipping away. This is his final year of eligibility, as you won’t find any expiring deals on either my best or worst list. He just crushed his previous career best by 18 PTS at age 26 as he and McDavid have grown into an unstoppable force, especially with the man advantage, which is historically deadly. There were questions earlier in this contract whether McDavid deserved a disproportionate share of the credit for Leon’s success, but he has proven to be a formidable force even when the two are deployed on different lines.
Draisaitl is perfectly capable of driving his own bus, and does so frequently. He will be able to command damned near whatever price he wants on his next contract, but may decide to take less to fit himself onto a contender (which may very well be Edmonton). He might have been critically underpaid on this deal, but has still banked $54M in career earnings according to Cap Friendly. His bank account is plenty full. This was among the top 10 best contracts in the entire salary cap era. Trust me, I’ve ranked them all. Leon is captain of one of my fantasy teams this season.
7) Miro Heiskanen, Dallas:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 6 years
Cap Hit: $8.45M
Signing GM: Jim Nill, July 17, 2021
Miro Heiskanen’s performance in the polling tournament fell below my expectations, as he was ranked 4th overall in my pre-tourney seeding, but dropped down to 9th when polling closed. He was bumped up to #7 in these rankings because of term remaining and defensemen this dominant are one of the hardest commodities to acquire in the whole league. I’m tempted to move him even higher, but will stop here out of respect for the democratic process. The departure of John Klingberg freed up more power play time for Miro, taking his production to a higher level, from 42 PTS per 82 GP up to 73.
That 73-point campaign passed Sergei Zubov as the highest scoring by a D in Dallas history, but even if the stats don’t immediately jump out at you, just watch a Dallas game for confirmation that this kid is one of the best players on the ice shift after shift. Frankly, Cale Makar may need to suffer an injury for anyone else to have a shot at the Norris in the next decade, but Miro is high on the list of contenders. He played most of the last season with Ryan Suter, which according to Dmitri Filipovic, was holding Heiskanen back, suggesting he could reach an even higher level with a better partner.
8) Jason Robertson, Dallas:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 3 years
Cap Hit: $7.75M
Signing GM: Jim Nill, Oct 6, 2022
The Dallas Stars hit the jackpot when Robertson scored 109 PTS for $7.75M, as the young winger significantly outperformed his pay grade and established himself as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. This deal was reached after scoring 79 PTS in the final year of his ELC, and I’d be very curious to know whether it was Dallas management or Roberston himself that insisted on the 4-year term. Because if Nill could have locked him in for 8 years at a 79-point pay grade, that would have been much more beneficial than bridging. 8-year contracts for 23-year-olds have a substantially better success rate than those awarded at age 27.
Had there been 7 years remaining at this price point, Robertson surely would have been a finalist in the polling tournament. From the player’s perspective, the 4-year term should help him maximize career earnings, which isn’t necessarily what’s best for Dallas. It took all the way to October for them to reach an agreement and it’s unclear whether the impasse was the player wanting more or less term. Maybe Jim Nill was the one who wanted 4 years, maybe it was Robertson. He’ll be one year away from unrestricted free agency when this expires, so at that point you pretty much need to give him whatever he wants or lose him forever. That’s not a strong bargaining position.
9) Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 5 years
Cap Hit: $8.2M
Signing GM: Pierre Dorion, Oct 14, 2021
The first shrewd move that Dorion made after the team collapsed suddenly in the Duchene trade aftermath was deciding to use their 2018 first round pick to select Brady Tkachuk, leaving their 2019 first unprotected. They risked missing out on Jack Hughes, but thanks to a little lottery bad luck for Colorado, only missed on Bowen Byram. Not a single person in the city of Ottawa would support trading Brady for Byram straight up, so clearly they made the right call. You may have trouble finding many willing to trade him for the 99-point Jack Hughes either.
In year one he produced a respectable 67 PTS, which wasn’t quite good enough to compete in last year’s best contract polling tourney, but then came ascension to a higher level, scoring 83 PTS with 242 hits. The only player who came even close to him in those two numbers is J.T Miller (even his brother Matthew doesn’t hit nearly that much anymore). One major factor in Brady’s breakout was the evolution of Tim Stutzle, but I’m sure Tkachuk deserves some of the credit for that. Brady seems to be following a similar arch as his brother, who we eventually found out was more driver than passenger on that deadly Gaudreau line.
10) Clayton Keller, Arizona:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 25
Remaining Term: 5 years
Cap Hit: $7.15M
Signing GM: John Chayka, Sep 4, 2019
There was cause for concern when Clayton Keller suffered a gruesome leg injury in the 2nd year of this contract (just as he and Schmaltz were catching fire), but he fought his way back with the best performance of his career to date, scoring 86 PTS. The bad news for Arizona is that Keller’s revival may have cost them Connor Bedard, defying management’s best efforts to tank. They missed out on Bedard, but still have Logan Cooley coming to campus, which should inject some excitement into this forward group and could amplify Keller’s upward trajectory in the coming years.
Early on, this was considered a risky investment, after oscillating around the 50-point mark for 3 seasons following a 65-point rookie campaign. John Chayka believed in the talent and was eventually proven to be correct, but left as General Manager before the vision was eventually realized (not all his decisions have aged well, but this one certainly did). This had originally been flagged as a contender for my Arizona Coyotes worst contract list, but instead was added to their best contract list in November, and will be moving higher up the list when my update is released soon.
11) Alex Tuch, Buffalo:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 27
Remaining Term: 3 years
Cap Hit: $4.75M
Signing GM: George McPhee, Oct 19, 2018
One examination that Alex Tuch passes with flying colors if you’ve ever watched him play, is the eye test. He’s all over the ice, yet his production never seemed to match the effectiveness that was visually obvious. At least until he found his way to Buffalo in the Jack Eichel trade, earning deployment on the top line. What seemed to hold him back in Vegas was that he was used more as a depth piece than a top line scorer, in part because his pay grade didn’t demand a big ice time number. He scored at a 49-point pace his last Vegas campaign, jumping up to 62 in Buffalo.
The only “blemish” on his first Buffalo season was losing time to injury, playing just 50 games. When he was healthy following year, paired with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner, the trio found the magic touch, with Tuch scoring 79 PTS in 74 GP (an 88-point pace), crushing his career high in ice time. Full disclosure: he wasn’t top 15 in my pre-ranks (where he was #30), but I did not disagree with the will of the people. Upon further reflection, he should have been higher in my hastily assembled pre-rank, but none of us are perfect. If you’re in a salary cap fantasy league, this guy is gold.
12) Quinn Hughes, Vancouver:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 4 years
Cap Hit: $7.86M
Signing GM: Jim Benning, Oct 1, 2021
As a Red Wings fan, I die a little bit inside whenever seeing the name Quinn Hughes, who was drafted right after Detroit snagged Zadina (who was released this summer). Fortunately, that potential bias inducing animosity doesn’t blind me to the value of his contract as one of the league’s best offensive blueliners. He scored at a 60-point pace during the 2021 season when he earned this ticket, then elevated to 73 in year one and 80 in year two, logging more than 25 minutes per game in both. My expected free agent value algorithm priced his 2023 stat line at $10.5M, and the kid is poised for a big pay day when this expires.
Quinn Hughes was named captain of the team in September, but they really need to pray that Elias Pettersson doesn’t feel slighted, because there’s only one year left on that deal, with 2 years to unrestricted free agency. Or maybe they’re more worried about Quinn leaving to play with his brothers in 4 years than Elias leaving in 2. Or maybe Hughes is just a better leader and deserved the letter and I’m totally overthinking this. I did see a news story that Pettersson is selling his mansion during summer, which might not have even be true, but it was enough to make some Canucks fans nervous.
13) Igor Shesterkin, Rangers:
2022 Rank: 3
Age: 27
Remaining Term: 2 years
Cap Hit: $5.7M
Signing GM: Chris Drury, Aug 9, 2021
After finishing 3rd in last year’s tournament fresh off a Vezina trophy celebration, Shesterkin’s performance regressed, both in the net and in the polling tournament. Regressing is not as bad as it sounds when you are degenerating from a .932 SV% to a .916%, from 45 goals saved above average down to 21 (tying with Andrei Vasilevskiy for 7th best in the league). He’s still elite and locked in at a great price tag (although personally I’d rather have Jake Oettinger for $1.7M less). Shesterkin has proven his effectiveness in the playoffs too, and his arrival in North America substantially accelerated the Rangers rebuild.
The next two years are crucial to the Rangers championship window, because the next contract already makes me nervous. He’ll be months away from his 30th birthday when the next one starts and will be a hot commodity if he reaches the open market. Even at age 30, this type of goalie seldom goes to July 1st, but the siren song from a former Vezina winner will undoubtedly seduce a GM in desperate need of a puck stopper. Maybe because of Bobrovsky more GMs will have their guard up, but even still, Bobrovsky still carried the Panthers to a Stanley Cup final. To some that ceiling is worth the risk.
14) Dylan Cozens, Buffalo:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 22
Remaining Term: 7 years
Cap Hit: $7.1M
Signing GM: Kevyn Adams, Feb 7, 2023
My membership in the Dylan Cozens Booster Club was earned through my weekly fantasy hockey reports where he was a frequent streaming target of mine in 2023. The young center scored 38 PTS in 79 GP during the 2021/22 season, jumping up to 68 PTS in 81 GP one year later. The Sabres are a young team on the rise with plenty of potential weapons to put on his wings for the next 7 years. He played most of the season with J.J Peterka and Jack Quinn on his wings, both 20-year-old rookies who each had 2 career NHL games played when the season started.
It’s not like he had this breakout with two seasoned snipers in supporting roles, he was showing the ropes to a pair of rooks. There are some potentially brighter prospects also coming down the pipe, as the outlook for Sabres fans is as exciting as it’s been for a long time, which is incredible considering how bleak it looked around the Eichel departure. How does the saying go, “it’s always darkest right before the dawn”. I’m not convinced that’s even a scientifically accurate statement, but it sounds perfectly applicable to the arch of the Buffalo Sabres, who are riding into the rising sun. (was that too over the top?)
15) Jake Oettinger, Dallas:
2022 Rank: Not ranked
Age: 24
Remaining Term: 2 years
Cap Hit: $4M
Signing GM: Jim Nill, Sep 1, 2022
Jake Oettinger’s coming out party was the 2022 playoffs when he nearly single-handedly upset the Calgary Flames, and followed that up by going 37-11 with a .919 SV% in the 2023 regular season. His stock only climbed higher as he helped Dallas advance to the conference final, though the fatigue factor did start to reveal itself as the playoffs unfolded. They rode him hard trying to win the division, maybe a little too hard. Yet he had one of the top 3 seasons for a 23-year-old goalie in the entire salary cap era (behind Bobrovsky and Lundqvist, ahead of Price and Vasilevskiy).
It’s actually remarkably rare for a goalie that young to even become a first-string NHL goalie, with most requiring much more AHL seasoning. He’s ahead of the curve even when compared to the average future Vezina winning goalie at that age. The Stars have him at an absolute bargain price, but Jim Nill needs to be concerned about the next negotiation. Barring a setback, Jake is going to get paid on the next one, especially in the entirely plausible event he wins the Vezina trophy. Looking at the betting odds, he’s currently +1200 (5th best) and I love that number. Maybe I’ll go bet that right now…
Honorable Mentions:
(ranked by Twitter poll vote share)
Adam Fox, NYR, 6 yrs at $9.5M
Nico Hischier, NJ, 4 yrs at $7.25M
Logan Thompson, Veg, 2 yrs at $767K
Juuse Saros, Nsh, 2 yrs at $5M
Mikko Rantanen, Col, 2 yrs at $9.25M
Matt Boldy, Min, 7 yrs at $7M
Kyle Connor, Wpg, 3 yrs at $7.1M
Kirill Kaprizov, Min, 3 yrs at $9M
Shea Theodore, Veg, 2 yrs at $5.2M
Josh Morrissey, Wpg, 5 yrs at $6.25M
Andrei Svechnikov, Car, 6 yrs at $7.75M
Roope Hintz, Dal, 8 yrs at $7.8M
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edm, 6 yrs at $5.1M
Jakob Chychrun, Ott, 2 yrs at $4.6M
Noah Dobson, NYI, 2 yrs at $4M
Alexandar Georgiev, Col, 2 yrs at $3.4M