We knew Charlie McAvoy's next contract was going to be a big one. It is.
According to multiple reports, McAvoy and the Bruins have agreed to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $9.5 million. Bob McKenzie was the first to break the news.
(UPDATE: The Bruins have now officially announced the deal.)
It is the biggest contract in Bruins history, both in terms of annual value and total value ($76 million).
McAvoy, 23, is entering the final season of a three-year deal that has an average annual value of $4.9 million, but a base salary of $7.3 million this season. He would have been a restricted free agent next offseason had an extension not gotten done.
Bruins president Cam Neely said on Wednesday that the two sides had been talking and that he was hopeful something would get done "in short order." Two days later, the deal is done.
McAvoy is coming off his best season yet, one that saw him finish fifth in Norris Trophy voting for the NHL's best defenseman. Moving into a regular role on the Bruins' top power-play unit this season could lead to a jump in points, which was the one thing likely holding him back from finishing even higher.
The market for top defensemen had been pretty clearly defined this offseason by a number of big-name, big-money deals that all came in roughly around the same numbers:
-Seth Jones, Blackhawks: 8 years, $9.5 million average annual value
-Darnell Nurse, Oilers: 8 years, $9.25 million AAV
-Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 8 years, $8.45 million AAV
-Dougie Hamilton, Devils: 7 year, $9 million AAV
-Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets: 6 years, $9.58 million AAV
-Cale Makar, Avalanche: 6 years, $9 million AAV
Given that McAvoy is arguably better than everyone on that list with the possible exception of Makar, $9.5 million per year is nothing to complain about.
The eight years is the maximum McAvoy could've signed for, and will lock him up through the 2029-30 season, at which point he will be 32.
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