Every house needs a basis. Every car needs a frame. Every book needs a bond. And every NHL -Herbouw needs a core where the future can be built.
The Chicago Blackhawks have started securing those core players with long -term contract extensions. Defender Alex Vlasic signed one Six -year contract of $ 27.6 million In April 2024, Forward Frank Nazar signed a seven -year contract of $ 46.13 million in August. On Saturday (September 13), goalkeeper Spencer Knight has an extension of three years worth $ 17.49 million.
A defender, an attacker and a goalkeeper – that is making a core. In addition to them, a flurry of entry contracts for players such as Sam Rinzel and Anton Frondell is strengthening the core and the positions of general manager Kyle Davidson to strengthen those extensions in a few years.
Related: Connor Bedard is motivated by the lack of hype
Davidson’s handicraft has been on time and efficiently. But it raises the question: What does Connor Bedard’s next contract look like? After all, he is the Lynchpin.
There is no concern that Bagard will sign with the Blackhawks. Given the deals signed by Nazar, Vlasic and Knight – and the current salary landscape in the NHL – the number that Boxard deserves becomes much intriguing.
Ultimately, it will be a balancing act between staying in the team trend and earning as much as Bedard can, given his superstar potential.
What the signing sessions of recent Blackhawks tell us
The contracts of Vlasic, Nazar and Knight provide insight into the first factor of Bagard’s contract comparison. Davidson locked these three core players with a low cap -hit: Vlasic for $ 4.6 million, Nazar at $ 6.59 million and Knight at $ 5.83 million. Those figures leave a lot of room about Davidson to sign players such as Bagard and potential free agents.
Davidson could sign these three players at a lower average annual values (AAV) because each had a relatively small amount of NHL experience. Vlasic had played 97 games, Nazar 56 and Knight 95. The extensions offered them security and a well -deserved elevation, while Davidson takes the (apparently light) risk that they will not develop into the players he thinks they will be.
This is called a win-win.
Perhaps even more important for Davidson, these signing sessions are a precedent that he will not pay too much to pay relatively unproven, emerging players. This will not only leave him cap-space (as mentioned above), but it will also cultivate a culture in which buy-in for team success surpasses individual cash outs. Consider how no player on the Florida Panthers will make more than the $ 10 million AAV from Captain Aleksander Barkov, although he is certainly worth more on the open market.
The expectations are set in Chicago. Even veterans such as Ryan Donato, who signed a four -year contract of $ 16 million this summer, fall in line. Bedard, however, will surpass everyone, but how much the “rules” apply to him is still to be seen.
What is worth bedard
Bedard varies from Nazar and company in three crucial ways: he has more experience, he has had more success and he is the face of the franchise.
Those three variables will make it harder for Davidson to sell the same pitch to Bagard as he did to the others. Now Davidson is not naive enough to believe that Bagard is in the same category. But what does the ‘bedard’ category look like given the expectations of Davidson, the success of Bagard and the rising salary limit?
Bedsy highlights, someone? 😏
Here are our favorite moments of Connor Bedard that Connor Bedard things from the 2024-25 season pic.twitter.com/ascjkxgl5i
– Blackhawks on CHSN (@chsn_blackhawks) April 21, 2025
We can continue to work back the three. Bedard’s new deal starts during the 2026-27 season and the salary limit will be $ 104 million. And we know it will be $ 113.5 million for the 2027-28 season. Who knows the figures that will reach afterwards?
The increases alone will make him lever for more money. We have already seen the effects that the rise has had on contract negotiations. Minnesota Wild Stud Kirill Kaprizov refused an eight -year -old, $ 128 million offer. Elliote Friedman speculates Kaprizov, rejected it because there is a possible Even larger offer swirls in the rumor winds.
Related: Blackhawks’ Rookies embrace consistent messages from Coaching Staff
It is clear that players and agents know that they can demand more money.
Then Bedard’s 128 points in 150 games place him in an elite echelon beyond the current Blackhawks. Add the at least 70-plus points that he will count this season, and we discuss a player with more than 200 points during his first three seasons. In the past decade, only Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews have achieved that performance. Even Nathan Mackinnon failed.
McDavid signed a contract of eight years $ 100 million in 2017. Matthews signed a five -year contract of $ 58.19 million in 2019. Both AAVs were north of $ 10 million.
Bedard’s performance so far requires at least the consideration of that number. You may not place it in the same category as McDavid or Matthews, but the numbers don’t lie. The market gives the player use (point and case: Kaprizov).
Will Davidson go so high? He likes the team -friendly deals that hopefully look even more friendly in a few years.
With Bedard, $ 10 million a year could check those boxes.
You don’t have to worry
Bedard will sign with the Blackhawks. He said”They know I want to be there; I know they want me.” An eight -year -old deal will most likely be the outcome. That will bring him to the age of 30, so that he can sign a big ticket before he retires.
The AAV will probably be higher than what many expect. $ 10 or $ 11 million is not unreasonable from the success of Bagard and where the salary limit is going. He will have to convince Davidson that that number will be a bargain in a few years.
Forecast
Bedard will sign a contract of eight years, $ 84 million with an AAV of $ 10.5 million. That number would pay him what he is worth; It will respect him as the cornerstone piece that he is; And it will make Davidson happy to spend around 10% of the cap on his superstar.
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