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...
Capitals Just Made Their Belief In Justin Sourdif Very Clear
Justin Sourdifs rise in Washington has been enough to convince the Capitals to move early and move big. The team locked up the right winger on a long-term extension, a clear sign that his development and versatility have made him more than just another young piece in the organizations depth chart. General manager Chris Patrick backed that up in an official statement, praising the way Sourdif has grown and the range he brings to the lineup.
The timing of the deal matters almost as much as the commitment itself, since it came together just before a new CBA deadline changed how long contracts could run. Washington now has one more major decision removed from its future puzzle, and Sourdif has the kind of security that usually comes only when a team sees a player as part of its core. For the Capitals, the message is plain enough: they did not want this one drifting any closer to the leagues new limits. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Just Made Their Belief In Justin Sourdif Crystal Clear
Justin Sourdifs first season in Washington gave the Capitals enough to make a long-term bet, and they did it in a big way. The club announced the forward has been re-signed after a promising rookie year in which he became one of the more intriguing young pieces on the roster, mixing production with the kind of flashes that can change how a team plans its future.
What stood out was not just the raw output, but how often Sourdif showed up in meaningful moments for a Capitals team looking to build around more than just its established core. He hit a hat trick, then added one of those nights that gets remembered in a market like Washington, tying a franchise rookie record for points in a game against Anaheim. For a player still early in his career, that kind of trajectory is usually what starts bigger conversations. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Staal Is Back But Hurricanes Still Have One Big Deal Left
The new CBA era is already showing how teams are trying to lock in key pieces before the market shifts again, and the Capitals have been part of that wave right alongside clubs like Carolina, New Jersey and Anaheim. For Washington, the headline move was an eight-year extension for Justin Sourdif, a commitment that signals real belief in how he fits into the organizations long-term plans as more teams start navigating the finer points of the leagues updated contract rules.
What makes deals like this worth watching now is not just the term, but the protection and flexibility built into them, especially as front offices try to balance certainty against future maneuvering room. Sourdifs extension gives Washington a lot to sort through beyond the simple fact of the signing, and the structure of the agreement suggests there is still plenty of thought being put into how the Capitals want to manage his place in the lineup and their cap picture moving forward. [Read more 🡒]