Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is due for a new contract next summer and despite a breakout season, it appears as though a bridge deal may be likely for the young forward.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted a little over a month ago that the Hurricanes were looking at an eight-year deal worth $7.5 million per year, however, Svechnikov is willing to take a bridge deal and bet on himself instead. Plus, general manager Don Waddell said in October that the team could be open to a bridge deal, so it seems as though unless the Hurricanes were going to up their offer on a long-term deal, we’re heading towards a short-term deal.
Factoring in how this will work with the Hurricanes' cap situation, a bridge deal makes sense for the team. They’ll have other priorities next offseason, including re-signing Dougie Hamilton, so keeping Svechnikov's AAV lower is probably a good move, even if it’s on a short-term deal
That said, Svechnikov’s value will almost certainly be higher at the end of a short-term deal, so it’s not all positive by going that route. I’ll go more in depth in predicting a contract extension later on but I could probably see a two-year deal around $5.5 or $6 million, if it’s signed before the start of the season.
As for a timeline though, I could personally see this deal waiting until next summer instead. If Svechnikov is willing to bet on himself, wouldn't it make more sense to hold off on re-signing, put up 25 goals and 70 points next season, then negotiate once his value is even higher?
Either way, a bridge deal seems likely for Svechnikov and it’s a move that would work well for both sides. Regardless, he’s going to be a key member of the team for many years and for now, we’ll wait to see what happens.
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Here’s today’s poll questions (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):
If Andrei Svechnikov signs a two-year bridge deal before the season, what do you think his AAV will be?
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