B/R Open Ice Rink: Frank Seravalli was asked if Chicago Blackhawks fans should be worried if he wanted to sign a five-year deal instead of an eight-year deal.
** Transcribed by NHLRumors.com
“First of all, no, not worried. Were Toronto Maple Leafs fans worried when Auston Matthews signed a five-year deal on his entry-level contract? No.
two. Nathan, I think it also depends on when Connor Bedard signs the deal. If he waits until after July 1, there’s obviously plenty of time between now and then. But if he waits until after July 1, the maximum number of years he can sign will be reduced to seven years under changes to the collective bargaining agreement. So it does change the ghost a little bit. An eight-year agreement needs to be completed before the calendar turns to July 1.
NHL Rumors: Penguins, Maple Leafs and Kings
More importantly, I think the salary cap environment is changing. I don’t think there’s been any decision on terms or funding. When it comes to Connor Bedard, a couple of nice extra price points have been set, which I think is huge. Completing the Logan Cooley trade, the third-largest entry-level contract ever signed, is another very important data point.
When you consider the stage of Conor Bedard’s career, perhaps the only interesting data point is that they once again waited until July 1st before Macklin Celebrini signed his next contract first. But beyond that, I think the Hawks and Bedard’s camp have almost all the numbers they need to get the deal done.
But neither side is in a hurry to do so. I don’t think it should be viewed in any negative light. They just take their time. He’s on an entry-level deal. There’s no reason to rush, so they’ll check it carefully to see how it goes.
Both parties have maintained communication. They didn’t put things on the ice and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to wait until after the season. ‘But as far as I know, and I did look at the document over the past few days, they haven’t had any substantive talks recently.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? A roundup of rumors and trending topics from around the league. We also post some content on Instagram.
