The Best And Worst Contract On Every Canadian NHL Team

The NHL is entering an intriguing financial landscape, with an increased salary cap impacting how contract negotiations are conducted between GMs and players across the league.

New standards are being set for what deals are considered to be team-friendly and which contracts are overpayments. Some NHL teams have set themselves up with multiple long-term commitments that project to age well, while others may have some cap concerns to look out for in the future.

With the 2026–2027 season around the corner and the NHL salary cap set at $104 million — an $8.5 million increase from just the previous year — let's visit the best and worst contracts on all seven of the league's Canadian franchises.

Having a 60-point breakout season in 2024–2025 with career-highs in goals (24) and assists (36), Rossi remains very affordable for the Canucks. He's at a number that is easy to work with if they were to ever pursue a trade, and once his contract expires, Rossi will remain a restricted free agent.

The 24 year old has the opportunity to prove himself and earn a bigger payday on a rebuilding Canucks team that is looking for stability. They have more than enough cap space to reward him financially if his offensive progression continues, but he remains one of the team's top cost-effective assets.

Pettersson is unfortunately one of the biggest examples of how paying a player big after a breakout season without proven consistency can go wrong. The Canucks signed him to an eight-year, $92-million mega deal right after a 102-point campaign in 2022-23.

Across the last two seasons, he's produced well below what is expected of him, having a 45-point season with just 64 games played in 2024-25 and 51 points in 74 games in 2025-26. The value of his contract and what he has brought offensively does not match, with teams paying players this type of money for consistent 90 to 100-point seasons.

A promising young goaltender is something every team is looking for, and Wolf remains a foundational piece of the Calgary Flames' rebuild with this contract. The 25-year-old posted his first losing record last season, going 23-29-3 in a year for the Flames that consisted of offensive shortages talent being shipped out.

However, as the salary cap continues to rise, this price tag has the potential to age extremely well for a netminder who has a serious opportunity to cement himself as one of the best in the league.

While Wolf's contract may be one of the best in the NHL, Huberdeau's could be one of the worst. He signed for eight years in Calgary after being traded from the Florida Panthers in the Matthew Tkachuk blockbuster.

Huberdeau was coming off a 115-point season in Florida before being dealt, which made this new deal feel reasonable at the time. He then finished with 55 points in his first season in Calgary, and most recently posted 25 points in just 50 games in 2025–2026.

He takes up just over 10 percent of the Flames' salary cap but has yet to lead the team in scoring once, going from a fast and high-scoring environment with the Panthers to a strict defensive system in Calgary. It's fair to say one reason the results haven't come is because the environment he's playing in doesn't match his abilities, but injuries have played a big role as well.

It's no secret that this falls as the best contract for the Oilers, even if it is only for two years. Having the best NHL player in the world on a pay cut is any general manager's dream.

His offensive output is much more than his price tag. The two-year deal allows for McDavid to evaluate where his team stands after two years, and allows Edmonton to be competitive as they try to convince him to stay.

In 74 games, Trent Frederic produced just four goals and seven points. With an eight-year commitment for a bottom-six forward who once showed offensive promise with the Boston Bruins, he ended up as a healthy scratch in multiple games for Edmonton last season.

While the length of this deal suggests this contract has the potential to hurt the Oilers beyond McDavid's two-year window, his cap hit ties up space that they could use to round out the roster in the immediate future.

Morrissey's contract gives the Winnipeg Jets the cap flexibility to build around a player of his caliber. Unlike players who have signed and plummeted in output, the defender signed on for eight years ahead of the 2019-20 season and started elevating.

His impact is felt through defensive play, blocked shots, and the leadership role he has built. He has four consecutive seasons over 55 points and has been a healthy player all around, playing for what is considered a discount for a No. 1 defenseman.

Pionk's individual production is what makes this contract arguably the worst on the Jets. Outside of tying up a hefty amount of cap space for a second-pairing defenseman, Pionk is considered an overpayment due to heavy reliance on his teammates versus his isolated impact.

Under heavy forechecking, his ability to retrieve pucks and have controlled exits is low, leading to costly turnovers. The long-term money allocated to Pionk raises the concern that the Jets may not be able to sign more core players and prioritize extensions.

Taking the hometown discount, the previous captain of the Maple Leafs, who still remains a leader, has dropped significantly from previously earning $11 million per season. Even in a tough year for Toronto, Tavares still had a 71-point campaign in 2025–2026.

His financial flexibility has helped GM John Chayka fill out the rest of the roster. Tavares has been a model of consistency for a Maple Leafs team that has had slumps from its stars in previous seasons, and even at 35, continues to be one of the league's most valuable players relative to his cap hit.

Rielly has shown a reduced offensive impact as a defenseman whose power-play time and overall production have taken a dip. He's turned into a liability in the defensive zone on some occasions and has lost the footspeed that made him an effective offensive player.

His no-movement clause has given him complete control of his future and leaves little options for the Maple Leafs, who have reportedly explored the idea of trading him. Rielly has been a good cultural fit, but the trajectory of his on-ice impact suggests the Maple Leafs would likely approach this contract differently if they had a second chance.

Putting together a 78-point season in 2025–2026 after winning the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL, Hutson's contract ranks among the best in the league due to his elite production as a young top-pairing defenseman.

The Canadiens have been smart in signing their core to long-term deals, all under $10 million AAV. As a rising star and with his early commitment, he will continue to develop with the same guys and still only be 30 once this deal finishes.

While Montreal has done well in signing their guys long-term for discounts, Dobson stands out as a deal that may hurt the Canadiens.

With Hutson's set to play on the top power-play unit and take over as the No. 1 defenseman, this appears as an overpay for Dobson. A cap hit of this size places heavy expectations on any player, but especially a second-tier defenseman.

Logging heavy minutes against top forward lines and still providing scoring chances, Sanderson has developed nicely in his four years with the Senators.

Signing for a price tag normally fit for a secondary, mid-tier defenseman, Sanderson has performed at an elite level, finishing the last two seasons above 50 points. Compared to other defenders in the league, his play can be compared, but at a big discount.

A previous Vezina Trophy winner with the Bruins, Ullmark's inconsistencies in Ottawa have raised concerns that his earlier successes were largely due to the fact he played behind a stronger system in his previous organization.

Now being exposed to more high-danger chances on a team with a worse defensive structure, the 33-year-old hasn't been able to find his footing yet, with injuries and off-ice struggles impacting his ability to live up to the expectations he set for himself earlier in his career. 

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