The Boston Bruins announced on Tuesday morning that the franchise has signed center Fraser Minten to a seven-year, $50.4 million contract. The contract comes out to an annual cap hit of $7.2 million per season.
Minten, 22, posted 17 goals and 35 points in 82 games as a rookie for the Bruins. This time one year ago, the questions surrounding Minten were whether or not he'd make Boston's roster outright.
One year later, he's signed a massive contract, one year ahead of becoming an RFA on July 1, locking himself in as a big piece of Boston's future.
The New York Islanders can only watch as another soon-to-be RFA inks a long-term extension early.
Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman both become RFA's on July 1, 2027. That day, Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie will become eligible to sign extensions, with both becoming RFAs on July 1, 2028.
Minten's contract serves as another warning shot to the Islanders' organization of what's coming in the future with their youngsters emerging and becoming eligible for raises.
If Holmstrom signed a seven-year deal right now, it would likely be right around what Minten just signed for. Both play key roles on their team's penalty kill. Both are young, and former high draft picks (Holmstrom, 23rd overall in 2019, Minten 38th overall in 2022).
Minten is three years younger than Holmstrom, which is an important factor. Another key factor at play is positions. Minten's a center, which elevates his price tag to another level.
Holmstrom, despite slightly more production and experience than Minten, plays the wing. That doesn't help his cause for the most money. However, any long-term deal buys more UFA years, thus increasing the AAV.
The Minten deal might be more relevant to an eventual Ritchie extension next summer. If Ritchie posts a 20+ goal and 50+ point season, it's not hard to see him asking for a good bit more than what Minten just received on his deal.
If Ritchie has another season around 15 goals and 35 points, the Minten deal is a near-perfect blueprint for a long-term extension.
The Islanders have put themselves in a position to be extremely flexible financially for these potential extensions, with $20.5 million in UFA money leaving the organization by July 1, 2028, the date any Ritchie/Schaefer extensions hit.
Every player on the roster could theoretically be dealt before then as well, with nobody have full trade protection from now until that date in its entirety.
The Islanders are in a self-proclaimed transition year. This Minten deal, its cost, and potential knock-on effect on the Islanders is worth watching, even with more potential deals coming down the road.
