The NHL’s CBA deadline turned into a sprint for several teams, and the money tells the story. A handful of clubs moved quickly to get major deals done before new rules changed how much of a contract could be paid out in signing bonuses.
That rush included the Anaheim Ducks, who signed Cutter Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million contract with a $13.5 million annual average value. According to Elliotte Friedman, about $69.5 million of that money will come through signing bonuses, a setup that would no longer be allowed once the new CBA kicked in.
The Washington Capitals also beat the clock on Justin Sourdif, finalizing an eight-year, $50.8 million extension with a $6.35 million AAV. His deal also carries substantial signing bonuses in the first three seasons. Sourdif put up 15 goals and 35 points in 78 games last season, with 26 of those points coming in his final 40 games, and Washington is clearly banking on that late-season surge carrying forward.
Carolina followed a similar path with captain Jordan Staal, who landed a one-year, $10 million extension. The contract includes a $900,000 base salary, a $4 million signing bonus and $5.1 million in performance bonuses. Staal will be 39 when the deal ends and is heading into his 22nd NHL season, including 16 years with the Hurricanes.
New Jersey got in on the action as well, locking up newly acquired forward Luke Evangelista on a five-year, $36.25 million extension just weeks after bringing him over from the Nashville Predators. Roughly 77% of the total value is tied to signing bonuses, which makes the timing especially notable with the new CBA setting a 60% limit on those bonuses.
Elsewhere, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin gave a calm update on the club’s contract talks with defenseman Quinn Hughes. He said, “I’ve been very comfortable with where we are at with Quinn for a long time,” Guerin said. “These things take time, and different things are important to different players.”
That situation remains one to watch, with plenty of people wondering whether an extension gets done or if a trade becomes unavoidable. For now, Guerin’s comments point to a process that is still moving, even if there’s no sign a deal is close.
The Capitals also found themselves dealing with a different kind of spotlight after Alexander Ovechkin appeared in a campaign video for Russia’s United Russia party alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The appearance drew criticism because United Russia is backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and came during Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Washington said Ovechkin, a Russian citizen who spends his offseason in Moscow, was asked by his country to take part while he was there. The team added that its focus is on the upcoming season and Ovechkin’s continued impact in Washington.
Ovechkin has previously supported Putin publicly and, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, said he hoped the war would end and noted that he’s an athlete and not a politician. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that the Capitals asked Ovechkin to remove the Instagram post and deactivate his account, but he is reluctant to do that because of concern for his family’s safety.
In Other News...
Wild Lineup Tinkering May Signal A Bigger Shift Around Kaprizov
John Hynes has made it clear the Wild are not treating their lineup as fixed, and the latest tinkering points to a broader attempt to change how Minnesota wants to play. With Maxim Shabanov, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Blake Coleman, Ryan Hartman and Kirill Kaprizov all in the mix, the coach is looking for combinations that can create more forechecking pressure and help the team spend less time chasing the puck.
The personnel moves behind that idea matter just as much as the line shuffles. Minnesota has moved away from players such as Mats Zuccarello and added quicker, more aggressive forecheckers, a sign the club wants a style built on puck recovery and sustained pressure rather than pure possession. It is the kind of shift that echoes what Carolina has done for years, and how far the Wild lean into that identity around Kaprizov could shape the way they look going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Just Gave The Wild Another Reason To Watch Detroit
Dylan Larkins absence from the start of Red Wings training camp has added another layer to a situation that already has plenty of people around the league paying attention. The Detroit captain is dealing with an upper-body injury suffered during training, and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has already made it clear he has full authority over hockey operations, which keeps every roster decision, including a possible move involving Larkin, in play. For the Wild, it is the kind of development worth tracking closely because president Bill Guerin has not hidden his confidence about trying to land Larkin if the opportunity ever comes.
There is also a wider ripple effect beyond Detroits immediate camp concerns. The way Larkins situation unfolds could shape other contract talks around the league, including the ones involving Quinn Hughes, which only raises the stakes for a player who already sits near the center of a lot of speculation. Minnesota does not have control over any of it, of course, but as long as the Red Wings are sorting through this at the opening of camp, the Wild will have every reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Just Made Its Belief In John Hynes Clear
The Wilds decision to lock in John Hynes on a multi-year extension says plenty about where the organization thinks this is headed. Since arriving, Hynes has given Minnesota something it had been chasing for a while: steady regular-season success, with winning seasons in each of his three years behind the bench, plus a breakthrough postseason step that had eluded the franchise for 11 years.
For a team that has spent years trying to find the right mix of stability and progress, the timing matters as much as the message. Minnesota is betting that Hynes has already shown enough to be trusted with the next stage, and the extension signals belief that the Wild can keep building without changing direction. [Read more 🡒]