Would the Ottawa Senators be interested in Stuart Skinner?
There’s speculation that the Ottawa Senators might consider pursuing pending UFA goaltender Stuart Skinner from the Pittsburgh Penguins to partner with Linus Ullmark. Such a move could potentially cost the Senators around $3.25 million, bringing their goaltending tandem’s total to $11.5 million. Notably, Senators GM Steve Staios has prior experience with Skinner from his time with the Oilers.
Connor Bedard will get a big, new contract this offseason, but it’s not known what type of deal he’ll be looking for
The Chicago Blackhawks and GM Kyle Davidson are hoping to sign Connor Bedard to an eight-year contract extension this offseason. However, the restricted free agent holds significant leverage. It’s difficult to imagine the Blackhawks refusing any terms Bedard might propose.
Bedard could potentially command the highest salary in the league, a request that might not be unreasonable given the current market. For context, Kirill Kaprizov’s current salary is $17 million. However, there’s no indication that Bedard will be aiming for such a figure.
Current projections suggest an eight-year deal averaging $13.2 million, according to AFP Analytics. Dom Luszczyszyn projects a slightly lower figure, around $13 million, with a market value estimated at $13.7 million.
Other recent comparable contracts include Logan Cooley’s eight-year deal worth $10 million, signed in October. Prospects Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli are also due for new contracts, and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks is eligible for an extension.
Bedard might seek between 12 to 15 percent of the salary cap for an eight-year term. If this is the case, the Blackhawks might agree, especially if the term is shorter. For comparison, Auston Matthews secured 14.27% of the cap on his entry-level contract and 15.06% on his subsequent four-year deal. This upcoming contract represents the final opportunity for players to sign for the maximum eight-year term.
If the Blackhawks were to sign Bedard to a short-term deal close to $20 million, they would still not be considered a cap-strapped team. They will, however, face upcoming contract negotiations for players like defensemen Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov, as well as forward Anton Frondell in the coming years.
When asked about his contract, Bedard stated, “But at the end of the day, it’s just seeing what fits the team best, what fits me best and just going from there. I’m very open to however they see it and what they have to say.”