Will short-term extensions like Evan Bouchard’s and Auston Matthews’ become more popular than long-term deals?
NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman when asked about Evan Bouchard taking a four-year contract, and if we’ll see more players taking shorter-term deals as opposed to seven or eight-year deals.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Mike Rupp: “Elliotte, I got a two-parter here for you. The one thing I just want you to kind of predict the future here. I think, and this will lead me into the second part, is the Evan Bouchard signing, the fouro-year deal.
The rumors that potentially, Connor McDavid would be on a shorter deal, potentially as well. Auston Matthews has done that in the past. With the league, in the projections of where the cap is going, and is that now, do you find that some of the bigger-name players are going to start seeing more of this in hockey?
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Because it’s always been give me term, give me term. Give me term. Now, for some of those big name guys, it’s good business to be up again in a couple of years. So, can you talk about, maybe what you think it might be in the future, and then talk about, you know, Evan Bouchard signing there in Edmonton?
Friedman: “Well, first of all, do the big picture thing first, Rupper, because it’s a good question. It’s something we’ve been talking about. I think that’s going to be on a case-by-case basis. Like, I think one of the issues …
Well, since the fonts there, let’s do Bouchard first. And you know, Bouchard, I think they wanted, I think they offered him two things. I think they offered him like a four and an eight. And the eight number, if the fours at 10 and a half, because in arbitration, I think he’s close to a 10 million player, if not over because of his numbers. Imagine what the eight would have been? Like 11.5, 11.6, something like that.
I just don’t think the Oilers have the room to do that. So they go short-term, and he’ll be able to sign another big deal. I mean, look at those numbers. You get paid for points in this league, and as a defenseman, when you do this, you’re going to get paid. So he’ll have a chance for another big deal in a few years.
I think it really depends on the player, Rupper. You know, like you and Stu, you guys played really hard, really tough games. And I know that the League has changed a lot, but I think especially if you have that kind of a role where you’re like a hard fore checker, or you’re someone who’s supposed to go and play that game, I think it’s really hard to take a short term deal, because the chances of injury are so high. Like hockey guys get injured in most random ways.
I really thought Marner was going to do four times 12. I did, I thought, and then someone said to me, ‘You know what? This has been such a crazy period for him. I think you just decide, I don’t need the aggravation. I’m going somewhere I’m excited to go. Why not give myself, I don’t have to worry about this kind of thing again for eight years.’
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And I think, I think it depends on the person for injury or peace of mind. But there’s going to be a few like Matthews who are not afraid to gamble. I think it’s possible McDavid gambles. We’ll see.
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