Next NHL Players to Secure Huge Deals After Sharks’ Re-Signed Erik Karlsson
By Brendan Azoff
There was a huge splash made in the NHL Monday as the Sharks signed superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson to an eight-year mega deal worth about $88 million to keep him from reaching free agency. With one big fish off the market, which players are next in line to receive big deals?
5. Jacob Trouba
The other big NHL news Monday was that stud defenseman Jacob Trouba was traded to the Rangers for Neal Pionk and a first round pick. The trade means that the Rangers believe they will sign Trouba who is an RFA, and he will likely land a five to seven-year contract worth $7 million annually very soon.
4. Matt Duchene
Duchene is in the driver's seat of negotiations and with a point-per-game offensive contribution and an impressive postseason under his belt, the forward can expect a seven-year contract worth $8-9 million. However, if he stays in Columbus he can sign for an eighth year, which might be enough to keep him on the Jackets this offseason.
3. Tyler Myers
After the Trouba trade and the Karlsson signing, Tyler Myers has gained the most traction, becoming arguably the best UFA defenseman on the market. Coming off of a a seven-year deal that paid him $5.5 million a year, the 29-year-old will look for and most likely receive a similar length in term with an uptick in salary, especially since the Jets desperately need to retain his services.
2. Sergei Bobrovsky
A top-five goalie in the NHL, Bobrovsky is almost certainly moving on from Columbus. At 31-years-old, teams may be a little hesitant because of his age, but when phenomenal goaltending becomes available, you have to jump on it. Coming off of a four-year deal that averaged $7.4 million, Bobrovsky will most likely sign with whatever team offers him the longest term, and his new contract will likely be more lucrative than his last.
1. Artemi Panarin
Artemi Panarin will likely sign a seven-year deal around $11 million per season. The only question remaining is who will sign the coveted winger? The 'Bread Man' has gotten better each year, tallying a career high 87 points last season. At only 27 years old, Panarin is in the prime of his career and will be instant offense for whoever is able to give the forward his monster contract.