Every NHL Team's Best Contract Heading Into the 2024-25 Season

As long as the NHL is a salary-cap league—and that does not seem to be changing anytime soon—there is always going to be a microscope on how teams spend their money.

Every dollar they spend on one player is a dollar they cannot spend on another player. They have to be smart about how they build their rosters, and some contracts prove to be better values for teams than others.

With that in mind, we're going to take a look at the best contract on every NHL team going into the 2024-25 season.

A few things to consider:

• Entry-level contracts are excluded. This point cannot be emphasized more. We are removing entry-level contracts from the exercise because by their nature as the cheapest contracts in the league, they are always going to be a great value for teams. So we are only considering players who are on a second deal or later in their NHL career.
• It's all about value. It's possible a team's best contract could also be its highest paid or biggest contract. We are not necessarily just looking for the cheapest deal here. It's all about production and contribution versus cost. If a player is making $10 million but they are probably a $14-15 million player, that contract can be a team's best. 
• Contract term can matter. Overall, the question is about the 2024-25 season and value for that. But a good contract is also about long-term value as well, and if a player is signed to a bargain deal for several years that could make it rise to the top of a team's list.

With all of that mind, here is what we have for each team's best contract for the 2024-25 NHL season.

The Anaheim Ducks' best contract for this season belongs to a player who might get traded before the season ends, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it.

In the meantime, Vatrano is the best value on their roster for the start of the 2024-25 season.

He is not a core player. He's not the most complete player.

He really only does just one thing extremely well: scores goals.

That one thing just happens to be one of the most important things a forward can do, and he is very good at it. He is not only coming off a career-best 37-goal performance during the 2023-24 season, but he has also scored 59 goals in only 163 games since joining the Ducks.

The 30-year-old counts just $3.65 million against the salary cap for this season.

The Ducks are building a strong core of young talent, and there is a bright future here. Vatrano might get traded before the team realizes its potential, but his cheap contract might make him an extremely attractive trade chip later this season.

For years the Boston Bruins always had a way of getting their top players and their franchise players to sign for far below market contracts.

Marchand has always been one of the best examples of that, playing on a contract that counts just $6.1 million against the cap.

For one of the NHL's best all-around players, it has been a steal.

Even though Marchand is now in his mid-30s (he is entering his age-36 season) and not quite the superstar-level player he was a few years ago, he remains a legit top-line scorer and two-way force. He also remains an absolute steal against the cap.

Marchand is eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season.

The Sabres were in an impossible position when they traded Jack Eichel a couple of years ago.

For one, it's always difficult to get fair value when trying to deal a player of that caliber.

It's even harder when that player is coming off a major injury, wants out and has a contract only a handful of teams could have taken on. Despite that, the Sabres still managed to get a decent return for Eichel, with Tuch being one of the centerpiece names in the deal.

Since joining the Sabres, he has been a really productive player, averaging a 28-goal and 78-point pace per 82 games.

Tuch, 28, makes just $4.75 million against the salary cap for another two seasons and has been one of the few bright spots on an otherwise underwhelming and disappointing roster.

The Flames are just now starting to enter what looks to be a pretty massive rebuild and going through a bit of a transition phase as a franchise.

They also have some really bad contracts littered throughout the roster, but Rasmus Andersson is not one of them.

The 27-year-old is one of the Flames' the top remaining defenders and has a pretty favorable contract at $4.5 million for the next two years. He not only has some offensive punch to his game, but he is also a strong defender who does not really have many weaknesses as a player. He just does everything well.

The Flames could probably trade him for a massive haul as part of their rebuild given his production and team-friendly contract, but they are under no pressure to do so just yet.

This is pretty simple: Jaccob Slavin's $5.3 million salary-cap hit for the 2024-25 NHL season is 62nd in the NHL among defensemen.

There are not 61 defensemen in the NHL who are better than him.

There are probably not even 15 or 20 in the league that are better than him.

Even if you look at his next contract number ($6.3 million, which begins in 2025-26) that is still only 43rd among NHL defenders.

Slavin, 30, is an absolute steal. He is one of the biggest salary-cap steals in the entire NHL.

Other than Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic was one of the biggest bright spots on the 2023-24 Chicago Blackhawks, and he is rapidly emerging as a key building block for their future.

His offensive numbers are nothing that jump off the page, but he made a huge defensive impact in his first full season of NHL play.

The Blackhawks allowed just 2.5 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play with him on the ice (one of the best marks on the team), while they were only outscored by one goal (50-51). When he was not on the ice? Chicago was outscored 151-68 when he was not on the ice.

Vlasic, 23, is signed for four more years at $4.6 million per season. If he continues on the trajectory he showed this past season, that deal will be a bargain.

This is one of those "the player is so good he still exceeds his huge salary-cap number" situations.

Yes, Makar makes $9 million against the cap for another three full seasons.

Yes, he is still a bargain at that number.

He is, arguably, a top-five player in the NHL, regardless of position, and is probably giving the Avalanche $13 or $14 million worth of production for the next few years when he will be in the prime of his career.

The Blue Jackets do not have a lot of great contracts on their roster, at least among players we are considering for the purposes of this exercise.

Adam Fantilli and some of their young players are great values on entry-level deals, but again, we are excluding the entry-level guys.

As far as the rest of their roster goes, Marchenko is an intriguing value because he does something not a lot of players on the roster can do: He scores goals.

Specifically, the 24-year-old has scored at least 20 goals in each of his first two seasons in the NHL and carries a respectable and affordable $3.85 million salary-cap number for the next three seasons.

Even at $7.75 million for the next two years, Robertson is arguably one of the best values in the NHL.

He's not only in what should be his peak years in the NHL offensively, but he is also one of the league's most productive and exciting players. Not only a legitimate top-line star, he is the type of player who could be an MVP candidate, especially on a Stanley Cup-contending team.

The 25-year-old is the Stars' best player, and he is also only their fifth-highest paid player against the cap.

The term "underrated" gets thrown around a little too loosely in hockey circles, and it usually simply refers to a great player who everybody already knows is great but just so happens to play on a team that nobody really pays much attention to.

Larkin might actually be truly underrated.

The 28-year-old is a No. 1 center who has turned into a point-per-game player and is signed for another four full seasons at $8.7 million per season.

Expensive? Sure.

But if he were to hit the open market right now or be eligible for a new contract, he easily gets more than that number.

We thought long and hard about simply going with Connor McDavid here because even if the Oilers paid him $15 or $16 or even $18 million per season, he would still be worth every penny and probably a bargain against the cap.

But Hyman has proved to be so much of a bargain that we have to go with him.

And that is stunning when you look back at the reaction when he initially signed this contract with the Oilers.

The 32-year-old makes $5.5 million this season and is coming off of a 54-goal season. He has 117 goals in 235 games with the Oilers over his first three years with the team.

Will he continue to produce at that level into his mid-30s? Probably not. Does playing on a line with McDavid help his production? It sure does. But none of that takes away from what a value he is right now. He has turned out to be one of the best free-agent signings of the past decade.

Barkov counts $10 million against the cap for the next four seasons, and do you know what? He is worth all of it.

The 29-year-old is also probably underpaid by a couple of million based on what he does and what he means for the Panthers.

Barkov is a top-line superstar scorer, a Selke-level defender and the cornerstone of a franchise that has been the most successful in the NHL over the past three seasons.

Getting him through his prime years at that rate is great business.

The Kings waited a couple of years for Byfield to have a breakout season, and it happened during the 2023-24 season.

It also earned him a four-year contract extension worth $6.25 million per season in the offseason.

If you wanted to quibble here, you might say that it's probably market value at this point, and maybe even a little more than his production is actually worth it, but we disagree. And I especially disagree when you consider how much upside he still has and how high his ceiling still is.

He can be a star, and he should be.

If, or when, he gets to that level in the coming seasons that contract is going to look like a bargain.

The Wild wasted little time in signing Boldy to a long-term contract extension at the first chance they had on a deal that runs through the end of the 2027-28 season at $7 million per season.

That contract runs through what should be all of his peak years, and he is already a top-line scorer who is close to a point-per-game player.

The 23-year-old still has some untapped potential that could result in him being even more productive, and an even bigger bargain against the cap.

Suzuki was the key piece in the Max Pacioretty trade with Vegas a few years back, and he has become a key part of the Canadiens' rebuild.

He is not only an extremely productive player and their captain, he has improved his production every single year he has been a full-time player in the NHL.

The 2023-24 season was his best in the league with 33 goals and 77 points, and now that he is entering his age 25 season -- and now that he should have a great goal-scoring option on his wing in Patrik Laine -- he could be set for an even bigger year this season.

He makes $7.8 million against the cap through the 2027-28 season.

This offseason was the second one in a row for the Predators to make some bold moves in free agency, re-signing starting goalie Juuse Saros while also adding top free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei.

They should help take an already good Predators team and turn it into a bona fide Cup contender in the Western Conference.

While all of those contracts are pretty fair market value, their best deal for this season might be one they signed a year ago in free agency for Gustav Nyquist, especially if he can come close to duplicating his 2023-24 performance offensively.

Nyquist counts just $3.185 million against the salary cap for this season, and is coming off a 23-goal, 75-point performance.

The 35-year-old was one of the best free-agent signings from that offseason, and he has a chance to be a great value again this season with no long-term risk beyond this year.

As long as Hughes is healthy and able to play a full season—something that has been a struggle so far in his career—he is an MVP-level player and potential top-five scorer in the NHL.

The 23-year-old is that good.

Getting that level of production, through all of his prime years, for only $8 million against the cap not only makes him a steal, but it also makes his contract one of the best in the NHL among the league's elite players.

Getting a franchise player like this for a few million below their true market value is a huge benefit for a team when it comes to roster construction. The flexibility that creates is the sort of thing that can help a good team become a Stanley Cup contender.

The Islanders have very quietly been one of the league's most successful teams over the past five years, but they have kind of reached a ceiling with what they are capable of.

They are one of the older teams in the league, and also have a couple of potentially ugly long-term contracts.

One contract that is not ugly right now is the one that belongs to Dobson.

He is only signed for one more year before becoming a restricted free agent, but his $4 million cap number is a tremendous value for what he produces. Especially on the heels of a 70-point season.

Igor Shesterkin is, at worst, the second-best goalie in the NHL and probably the best on most nights. He is also one of the single-most impactful players in the league when it comes to dictating the success of his team.

The Rangers lean on him, they rely on him, and he typically comes through.

He takes a good team and makes it great.

He also makes just $5.6 million against the salary cap this season, placing him 10th in the NHL behind players like John Gibson, Jordan Binnington, Philipp Grubauer.

Given how good—and impactful—he is, that makes him one of the best values in the league.

The Rangers should enjoy it while they can because he is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. If they want to keep him, they are going to have to pay. A lot.

The Senators' rebuild has not produced results yet, but they do have most of their core players signed to long-term contracts.

A lot of them are pretty strong deals, especially as it relates to cornerstone players such as Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.

In terms of pure value, though, Batherson's $4.9 million salary for the next couple of years is up there as one of the best. He has not missed a game the past two years and has exceeded the 20-goal, 60-point mark each season.

The Senators' best and most important players are in position.

Now they just need to build around them and start getting results in the standings.

The Flyers took a big step forward in their rebuild during the 2023-24 season, competing for a playoff spot far longer than anybody could have anticipated. They should be in a position to take another step forward during the 2024-25 season with the arrival of top prospect Matvei Michkov.

While I like a lot of the players on the team, I am not crazy about most of the contracts. Most are either exactly what their market value should be, or perhaps a little above it.

There are not many egregiously bad contracts, but there aren't many team-friendly ones, either.

Laughton has been chosen here because he is a decent depth player at a fair rate ($3 million per year for the next two seasons), and that contract could make him a serious trade chip to bring in a big return if they decide to trade him this season.

While the Penguins wait for Crosby to decide on his future and whether or not he is going to re-sign with the team (he probably will and it would still be a major shock if he did not), they should be happy to know he remains a bargain for the 2024-25 season at the team-friendly rate of $8.7 million.

His entire career has been team-friendly contracts for the Penguins.

He might be entering his age 37 season this year, but he remains one of the best players in hockey and one of the NHL's all-time greats. He had 42 goals and 94 points this past season and has shown zero signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Another 40-goal, 90-point season is certainly within reach.

The Sharks' best contract might be one of their players acquired this offseason.

What is funny about Walman's contract is that they acquired him because the Detroit Red Wings were trying to shed his salary and sent an additional draft pick to San Jose for taking him.

It was a baffling move at the time, and it still seems like one now.

The Sharks only owe Walman $3.4 million per year over the next two seasons, which is a fair rate for a solid top-four defender who should be one of their best defensemen the second he steps foot on the ice.

The Kraken have made a lot of missteps in building their roster over the first three years of their existence, but Dunn is one of the things they have managed to get right.

Not only their decision to take him from the St. Louis Blues in the expansion draft, but to also make him their top defender and sign him to a long-term contract extension,

His $7.3 million salary-cap number is pricey, but he is a legitimate top-pairing player who scores at a borderline elite rate among defensemen. He received Norris votes during the 2022-23 season and was playing at an even higher level in 2023-24 when he wasn't injured.

Acquiring Buchnevich from the New York Rangers a couple of years ago was a huge steal for the Blues, as he has been one of their best players since arriving.

The 29-year-old signed a contract extension with the Blues that will start paying him $8 million per year in the 2025-26 season. Given his age at that point, there is some concern as to how well that deal will age.

But he should still have some productive years ahead of him, and he still only counts $5.8 million against the salary cap for the 2024-25 season. If he can push the 30-goal, 65-point marks, he will easily have the most team-friendly contract on the roster.

Kucherov is one of the most dynamic offensive players of his era and has been a cornerstone player for the most dominant team of the past decade.

The 31-year-old is also getting better with age, at least offensively. He hit the 100-assist mark this past season and won his second scoring title with an absurd 144-point total.

Where does his $9.5 million salary-cap number rank among his peers? It is shockingly only 24th in the entire NHL. For the MVP runner-up and Art Ross Trophy winner, that is an incredible value.

Nylander and the Maple Leafs' core are going to keep facing intense criticism until they do something in the playoffs to change the narrative around them.

Some people might scoff at the idea of his $11 million cap hit being the team's best contract. But I love this deal and Nylander as a player.

He is a two-way force, he is a 40-goal scorer and he is one of the top players on the team that has actually produced in the playoffs the past few years.

Going back to the 2020-21 postseason, Nylander has 15 goals in 29 playoff games (a 43-goal pace per 82 games) and was their best player this past postseason when he got back into the lineup.

Maccelli has been one of the few bright spots for this team the past few years, and he has developed into a really strong playmaker.

The 23-year-old is set to make $3.4 million against the cap over each of the next two seasons.

It is probably right in line with what a player of his ability and production should be making, but it is still one of the better deals for the Utah club, especially if he takes another step forward this season offensively.

Given how Maccelli improved his shot volume this past season, a little spike in shooting percentage could make him a 20- or 25-goal scorer to go with his playmaking.

Signing Hughes to a six-year, $47.1 million contract extension when he was a restricted free agent a few years ago is one of the best moves the Canucks have made in recent years.

At the time, it might have looked like a risk and maybe even a small overpay.

But sometimes teams have to take those chances in the hopes they become a bargain in the future.

That is exactly what has happened with the Canucks and Hughes.

The 24-year-old's playmaking is as good as any defender in the NHL right now, and his 92-point effort in 2023-24 resulted in the first Norris Trophy of his career.

Hughes should be a $10-12 million player at a minimum if he were eligible for a new contract extension this offseason. The Canucks are getting him for $7.8 million over the next three years.

Theodore is one of the few original Golden Knights still on the roster, and he remains one of their best players.

The 29-year-old was one of the players they stole in the expansion draft process, taking advantage of the league's other general managers who were not prepared for the rules or how to handle them.

He is entering the final year of his contract and counts just $5.2 million against the cap.

The only thing that has been a problem the past two years is that he has missed significant playing time. But when he is on the ice, he's one of their best all-around defenders.

This is pretty much the same situation as Crosby in Pittsburgh.

An all-time great and still top-tier player even in his late 30s still making a big impact, and still probably worth every penny of what he is getting paid (in this instance, $9.5 million per season).

Ovechkin, 38, is not only still a top goal-scorer, but he is also a huge boost for the franchise from a business sense based on what he does for ticket sales and marketing.

That is going to be especially true this season as he tries to get the 42 goals he needs to become the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer.

It took a few years, but Morrissey has reached his full potential the past couple of years and has finished in the top-seven of Norris voting each year. He is also now one of the most productive offensive defensemen in the NHL.

You could make a pretty convincing argument he is a top-10 player in the league at the position, and certainly within the top-15 or 20.

He only counts $6.25 million against the salary cap for the next four years.

There are 48 defensemen in the NHL this season that will count more against the salary cap.