The Ottawa Senators and Stuart Skinner? What Type of Deal Will Connor Bedard Want?

Would the Ottawa Senators be interested in Stuart Skinner?

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Sun: Would the Ottawa Senators be interested in Pittsburgh Penguins’ pending UFA goaltender, Stuart Skinner, to pair with Linus Ullmark? It might cost the Senators around $3.25, which would put their tandem up to $11.5 million. Senators GM Steve Staios was with the Oilers and is familiar with Skinner.

Connor Bedard will get a big, new contract this offseason, but it’s not known what type of deal he’ll be looking for

Scott Powers and Shayna Goldman of The Athletic: The Chicago Blackhawks and GM Kyle Davidson will be hoping to get Connor Bedard signed to an eight-year deal, but the pending RFA holds the cards. Hard to see the Blackhawks able to say ‘No’ to whatever Bedard asks.

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Bedard could ask to become the league’s highest-paid player, and it may not be an unreasonable ask. Kirill Kaprizov sits at $17 million. There has been no indication that Bedard will be asking for that, though.

AFP Analytics projects him at eight years and $13.2 million. Dom Luszczyszyn projects at $13 million and a market value of $13.7 million.

Logan Cooley signed an eight-year deal at $10 million in October. Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli are due for contracts as well. San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini is contract extension eligible.

Bedard could look for 12 to 15 percent of the salary, and it’s an eight-year deal, the Blackhawks may be okay with that, possibly if it’s for a shorter term. Coming out of his ELC, Auston Matthews took 14.27 percent, then 15.06 on his latest four-year deal. This is the last chance players can sign for eight years.

If they signed Bedard close to $20 million on a short, bridge deal, they still won’t be a cap team. Now, they will have some contracts coming up that he’ll need to sign over the next few years – defensemen Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov, and forward Anton Frondell.

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“But at the end of the day, it’s just seeing what fits the team best, what fits me best and just going from there,” Bedard said that same day. “I’m very open to however they see it and what they have to say.”

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