As the Bruins work their way through this offseason, they also need to be keeping an eye on the future with their two best young players due for new contracts in the next couple years.
Charlie McAvoy has one year left on his deal and will be a restricted free agent after next season. David Pastrnak has two years left and would be an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 season if he's not signed to an extension by then.
McAvoy in particular is due for a significant raise, as he is on the books for $4.9 million this season. What could his next contract look like? Well, we're starting to get an idea based on some recent big-money defenseman deals.
Last week, the Dallas Stars signed 22-year-old Miro Heiskanen to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $8.45 million. On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks traded for 26-year-old Seth Jones and then signed him to an eight-year extension with a $9.5 million AAV. Then on Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche signed 22-year-old Cale Makar to a six-year extension with an AAV of $9 million.
You better believe the 23-year-old McAvoy and his agent are making note of those deals. While none are perfect one-to-one comparisons, it is absolutely fair to put McAvoy in that ballpark. He is already one of the best defensemen in the NHL and finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting this year. He arguably could have finished even higher, and probably will next year if he continues to play on the Bruins' top power-play unit and puts up more points.
Makar is arguably the best all-around defenseman in the league. Heiskanen is very good, but McAvoy is even better. Jones' contract looks horrible given how much his play has dropped off in recent years, but that's not going to stop any player from using it as a comparison.
Makar and Heiskanen were both restricted free agents without arbitration rights. McAvoy will be an RFA with arbitration rights. Jones was set to be an unrestricted free agents after next season.
Factoring in all of that, it would seem that the starting point for McAvoy's next contract would be something like seven years at an $8.5 million AAV. Anything less should be considered a steal and a hometown discount, and McAvoy would certainly be well within rights (unless this season goes horribly wrong) to seek the maximum eight years at a $9 million-plus AAV.
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