Logan Couture signed an eight-year, $64 million extension with the San Jose Sharks on June 30th. San Jose keeps one of their core centers in place. What does this all mean? What impact may it have down the road? Let’s take a look.
Logan Couture contract explained
Again, thanks to CapFriendly, contracts are easier to dive into quickly. Couture’s extension kicks in for the 2019-20 season. He will earn $6,000,000 for the 2018-19 campaign. Sie Morley from Fear The Fin makes sense of it here. Steve Yzerman said the following on McDonagh:
“Logan is a difference maker and has the proven ability to elevate his game when his team needs him the most,” said Doug Wilson. “His leadership, on and off the ice, combined with his high skill level and hockey sense make him a crucial component to this team’s success. We’re thrilled that Logan has made this long-term commitment to the team and to the community.”
The salary cap hit comes in at $8 million AAV for the extension. However, the salary is just a bit different. Couture earns $10 million in year one. After that, he earns $9,000,000 in years two and three plus $8,000,000 in years four and five. The sixth and seventh season pay Couture $7,000,000 with the final campaign earning him an additional $6,000,000. This includes a signing bonus of $16 million shelled out over the first four seasons.
Now, there are some wrinkles with this deal. The extension features a modified no-trade clause. McDonagh submits a list of three teams that he will not want to be traded to. Simply, this deal steps down incrementally well.
The extension and down that long and winding road
Couture is currently 29-years old. When the extension kicks in, he will 30. Every player does not age the same, but the forward will be 37 when his extension ends. The question becomes what happens to San Jose during this new deal.
Doug Wilson emphasized a win-now approach, but there is some wiggle room to the window. How Wilson negotiates or tries to extend this window will be vital.
No one quite knows when a decline will occur. The prime is now, and even that is fading. That presents a contentious debate as the team will likely name Logan Couture captain when Joe Thornton retires.
Wilson missed out on signing John Tavares even though reports suggest they offered upwards of $13 million AAV. The Couture extension represents the commitment both sides have for each other.
Some numbers and notes
Among other things, we can use visuals from Bill Comeau here to help. Couture remains one of the best at shots and goals (90th percentile). His game score suffered along with possession metrics because of increased defensive zone deployment. There are a lot of good numbers here. Age curves are fickle. How these numbers regress is a great question. They may not right away, depending on whom Wilson acquires.
Couture is a player capable of playing tough minutes still. Fortunately, Couture shows the ability to handle the top center and power play position. Expect him to play 19 minutes + ATOI. With more chances, that should curb Couture’s potential regression in the later years of the extension. The only primary concern is injuries. Several concussions (some undocumented) present something to be vigilant.
Couture’s ability to make quicker decisions and fast release can be questioned in later years of this extension. Finally, sheltering his decline will be a priority in years 6-8. There also exists the ability to lead and versatility. Couture finished 12th in Selke Award voting, and some argue he is a perennial top-ten defensive center. This goes along with his offensive ability. Consider that Couture scored 21 power play goals in the previous two seasons. One major concern would be faceoffs and how San Jose addresses (Joe Pavelski?) that will be interesting. The future captain displays special team abilities as mentioned and can take penalties at a low rate. Other than that, Couture earns his salary on and off the ice.
