Connor Bedard’s new deal in Chicago is already sending ripples through the rest of the league, and the next name in line could be Adam Fantilli.
The Blackhawks and Bedard landed on a five-year extension, and the real sticking point, according to multiple reports and a statement from agent Don Meehan, was the term rather than the money. Meehan said the shorter route made sense for the player with the salary cap rising, but Kyle Davidson needed more than a three-year commitment from his franchise cornerstone.
That pushed the sides to five years. Meehan also said they were not waiting on another contract, such as Leo Carlsson’s, to establish the market.
The number they had in mind was already $15 million.
That price tag doesn’t exactly come out of nowhere anymore. The cap landscape has changed fast, and Bedard’s deal looks like another sign of where things are headed.
For Columbus, that matters. Fantilli remains unsigned, and the Blue Jackets are sitting on just over $23 million in cap space while also trying to sort out Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger, both of whom filed for arbitration.
Fantilli has been in the mix for an offer sheet conversation, and now his camp has even more leverage. With Carlsson’s offer sheet and Bedard’s extension in the background, the asking price can only climb from here.
The current talks are believed to be north of a $10 million salary on a bridge deal, but that number may not hold. A three-year contract at $12 million would fit the new reality, while a long-term deal could climb all the way to the $15 million mark Bedard just set. For restricted free agents, this is the new game: maximize now, because the market keeps moving.
Minnesota, meanwhile, has been playing a different waiting game.
The Wild have been tied to Dylan Larkin for a while, and even with Steve Yzerman no longer running the Red Wings, that situation still has to be resolved. Teams keep calling, and Minnesota believes it has a real shot.
The club has also checked in on other centres, including Robert Thomas and Mason McTavish, but several of the names linked to them have already come off the board. Vincent Trocheck was one of the clearest fits, but the Wild never seriously pushed there because they knew Larkin wanted to come to Minnesota.
According to Joe Smith and Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Wild “…essentially backed out of even attempting to trade for Vincent Trocheck this offseason because they were well aware Larkin wants to come to Minnesota.”
Larkin is said to have four teams on his list: the Wild, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars. Minnesota has the prospect and draft capital to make a deal work, but Detroit has been looking for NHL players in return. Elliotte Friedman said Joel Eriksson Ek could come up in those discussions, though Bill Guerin would not move him.
So the question hanging over Minnesota is simple: how long do they keep waiting on Larkin, and do they eventually turn elsewhere for their centre?
In Other News...
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Minnesotas front office has spent the summer trying to stay aggressive, and that has meant keeping an eye on bigger names while also living with a few missed chances. The Wild were linked to Dylan Larkin at one point, and they also passed on other options such as Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee, a reminder that the search for a true impact center has not been simple even as the roster keeps moving forward.
Across the Central Division, the pressure points are starting to show elsewhere too, and Dallas is now dealing with one of the most delicate contract situations on the board. Jason Robertson and the Stars still have not come to terms, an arbitration hearing is on the calendar, and the longer this drags on, the harder it is to avoid the kind of trade chatter that can change the conversation around a team in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch This Re-Signing Closely
Quinn Hughes became eligible to sign a contract extension with the Wild on July 1, and that has put a little extra attention on one of Minnesotas most important roster pieces. The defenseman has already established himself as a cornerstone on the blue line, and any long-term decision involving him carries obvious weight for a team trying to keep its core intact.
Wild coach John Hynes has sounded upbeat about where things stand, pointing to Hughes comfort in Minnesota and the relationships he has built inside the organization. Hynes also cited Hughes connection with general manager Billy Guerin and the coaching staff, along with the success he has found with the club, as reasons for optimism, even though nothing official has been announced yet. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Trade Buzz Puts Red Wings Fans Right Back Here
Jack Roslovics move to Toronto gave the Maple Leafs another useful piece, and it also added a familiar wrinkle for Auston Matthews, who has shared plenty of ice with him going back through USA Hockey development and youth national teams. It was a tidy bit of business for Toronto, but around the league it also served as another reminder of how quickly one signing can ripple through the center market, especially for teams still trying to sort out their own depth down the middle.
For Minnesota, that market has been a frustrating one to watch. The Wild have been trying to strengthen their center group, but the pool keeps getting thinner as options come off the board and the price of doing business keeps shifting. Even the broader league chatter has been affected, with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet helping reset expectations for what elite players can command next, leaving clubs like the Wild to weigh patience against urgency while the next move remains out there somewhere. [Read more 🡒]