On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks solidified their franchise cornerstone, drafting the Regina Pats' Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft.
The widely-considered generational talent notched a whopping 143 points last season in the WHL. He scored 71 goals and assisted 72 of them in 57 games.
His undeniable talent begs the question --- how much will he make from his rookie contract? The numbers might surprise you.
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According to NHL CBA (collective bargaining agreement) rules, prospects between 18-21 will sign three-year deals. The maximum amount his base salary can be is $950,000, a figure Bedard will certainly sign for.
After that, his signing bonus can go as high as $95,000 with maximum player bonuses of $3.5 million. His average AAV (average annual value) could line up to $4.5 million, according to Cap Friendly.
The highest average annual value on the team is Seth Jones, who pulls in $9.5 million per year from his 8-year, $76 million contract. After him, Taylor Hall ($6 million) and Tyler Johnson ($5 million) represent the second and third-highest contract values, respectively.
Compared to the NHL, the highest-paid player in the league is Nathan McKinnon from the Colorado Avalanche. He makes $12.6 million per year, just ahead of Connor McDavid's $12.5 million annual contract value.
Blackhawks Draft
Can Bedard earn one of those figures someday? He'll start to answer that question in October.