Connor Bedard's latest deal highlights a trend among RFAs signing mid-term contract extensions. Is a similar-styled agreement inevitable for the remaining star RFAs?
A major contract extension was completed by the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, as GM Kyle Davidson inked star center Connor Bedard to a five-year deal worth $15 million per season.
In a way, Bedard is setting the pace for other players reaching or at RFA status. The dollar value will certainly vary between stars such as Macklin Celebrini - a pending RFA who is eligible to sign an extension - Adam Fantilli, Cutter Gauthier, and Jason Robertson, who has filed for arbitration but can still sign a contract extension before his hearing.
However, one aspect of Bedard's newest deal that seems to be a new trend around the NHL is players signing mid-term contracts, rather than a long-term commitment to their teams.
Bedard isn't the only RFA to have signed a four- or five-year agreement this off-season. In fact, there have been numerous examples of that to this point.
A pair of recent instances come from the Philadelphia Flyers, who locked up center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale for four years each. Zegras signed his contract worth $9.125 million per year on Wednesday, while Drysdale got his deal on Friday, earning $6.5 million annually.
Continuing down the Flyers route, GM Danny Briere's offer sheet for Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson was a four-year deal. That situation is slightly different, but the offer sheet was only tendered because Carlsson accepted the offer in the first place.
That created a domino effect for Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, who inked a five-year contract at $7.2 million per season.
The list doesn't end there. Simon Nemec, Cole Perfetti, Brandt Clarke and Dylan Holloway are all notable RFAs who signed five-year contract extensions this off-season. Also, Peyton Krebs and Jordan Spence are a couple of RFAs who signed four-year commitments, like Zegras and Drysdale.
Several examples from this off-season prove this trend of RFAs agreeing to shorter-term contracts rather than the maximum number of years.
It's possible that this trend will carry over to some remaining star RFAs, and with the current salary cap projection and growth, it seems like a sensible option in favor of the players. A shorter contract length will give the player more opportunities to raise their salary, with negotiations for a new deal coming up more often.
It also allows the player to reach UFA status more quickly. Both Carlsson's and Bedard's contracts take them to their first year of UFA eligibility.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
