There’s speculation that the Ottawa Senators might consider acquiring pending UFA goaltender Stuart Skinner from the Pittsburgh Penguins to form a tandem with Linus Ullmark. This potential move could cost the Senators around $3.25 million, bringing their goaltending duo’s total to $11.5 million. Senators GM Steve Staios, who previously worked with the Oilers, is familiar with Skinner.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks face the prospect of signing Connor Bedard to a significant new contract this offseason. While the Blackhawks and GM Kyle Davidson are likely aiming for an eight-year deal, the restricted free agent ultimately holds considerable leverage. It’s anticipated that the Blackhawks will find it difficult to refuse Bedard’s contract demands.
Bedard could potentially seek to become the league’s highest-paid player, a request that might not be unreasonable given the current market. While there’s no indication he’ll demand a salary comparable to Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million, projections from AFP Analytics suggest an eight-year deal worth $13.2 million, with Dom Luszczyszyn estimating $13 million and a market value of $13.7 million.
Other recent contract comparisons include Logan Cooley’s eight-year, $10 million deal and upcoming contracts for Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli. Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks is also nearing contract extension eligibility.
Bedard might be looking at a contract that represents 12 to 15 percent of the salary cap on an eight-year term. The Blackhawks might be amenable to this, especially if the term is shorter. Auston Matthews, coming off his entry-level contract, commanded 14.27 percent of the cap, and later signed a four-year deal at 15.06 percent. This offseason represents the last opportunity for players to sign eight-year contracts.
If Bedard were to sign a short-term deal close to $20 million, the Blackhawks would still not be at the cap ceiling. However, they will have several other players needing new contracts in the coming years, including defensemen Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov, as well as forward Anton Frondell.
Bedard has expressed his openness to the Blackhawks’ plans, stating, “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.”
