The Chicago Blackhawks will turn their attention to a long-term deal for Connor Bedard
Tracey Myers of NHL.com: The Chicago Blackhawks signed GM Kyle Davidson to a multi-year extension, and they’ll now turn towards Connor Bedard and getting him signed to a long-term contract. Backhawks CEO Danny Wirtz on Bedard:
“We couldn’t be happier with how Connor has shown up every single night, the way he competes, the way he leads this team in many ways. Our intention is to absolutely get him signed and have him be a Blackhawk for a long time.”
Wirtz said they’ve believed that core of the team should be developed through players they’ve drafted, but if the opportunity comes up to be able to improve their team from the outside, GM Davidson has the green light.
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“So, he’s got the reins to make those decisions when he thinks the time is right and when the opportunities arise. We can’t always make opportunities out of thin air. (It’s) a combination of continuing to build from within and adding the right ingredients when the time comes.”
What could a Connor Bedard extension look like?
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times: Connor Bedard’s agent, Don Meehan, said on Monday that he expects contract negotiations with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson will start “sometime in May.”
Bedard is set to become an RFA on July 1st, and there is no doubt that a contract will eventually get done. A deal signed before September 15th can be for eight years, with anything after being seven years max. That will be a potential deadline to get something finalized.
With the salary cap going up, his play this season, and his talent, the next deal is going to be enormous. The Blackhawks will likley be looking for the max of eight years, but his camp could look for a shorter deal, and then cash in even more on the next deal. Five years would take him to 26-years-old and UFA status.
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Heading into this year, he could have been in the $12.5 to $13.5 million range on his next deal, but that number could be in the $13.5 to $15 million range now. The number is an easy fit in the short-term, but could get a little trickier in the long-term when all their other entry-level contracts are up and they need to extend some other players.
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