Bedard looking for around $17M per season — The Fourth Period
The bar is now set. As we wait to see if the Anaheim Ducks are going to match the five-year, $90 million qualifying offer Leo Carlsson signed Friday with the Philadelphia Flyers, eyes are shifting to what some of the NHL’s other young stars are going to generate on their new contracts.
As TFP reported last month during the Stanley Cup Final, the Chicago Blackhawks and Connor Bedard re-engaged in contract discussions and the early word was that Bedard is looking for a significant bump in contract.
After the Blackhawks acquired and subsequently signed defenceman Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million deal, speculation began to grow over how high Bedard may aim for.
During Thursday’s DFO Rundown Insider Edition free agency recap special with Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta, Gaffar reported Bedard is seeking a deal worth around the same $17 million AAV figure Kirill Kaprizov is making with the Minnesota Wild.
“Connor Bedard is in for a payday. He saw Bowen Byram get a payday. I think that Connor Bedard is looking at Kirill Kaprizov money,” Gaffar said. “I think that is a situation and that is a number that he’s looking at, and I do strongly believe that he thinks he deserves it. I’m not entirely sure the Chicago Blackhawks as an organization are close to that number when discussing Connor Bedard right now.”
Bedard, who turns 21 on July 17, saw his entry-level contract expire at the end of June. He tallied 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games with the Hawks last season.
With Carlsson’s new salary set at $18 million per season, Bedard’s camp can easily justify asking for $17 million per season – and perhaps more after Friday’s news.
“I think when the number comes in on him, on Carlsson and (Cutter) Gauthier, and some of these other guys, we’re going to look at this and go, ‘okay, this is where the league is going,’” said Pagnotta.
The Blackhawks have just over $29.3 million in available salary cap space and certainly have the room to fit a monster contract like the one Bedard is looking for.
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson is believed to have started contract talks in the $10 million to $12 million range, but that figure will surely have to increase.
Bedard injured his left shoulder on Thursday while practicing on ice in Vancouver and an update on his status is expecting in the next couple of days.
