Which of the top NHL prospects will get the biggest signing check?

When Canadian sensation Alexis Lafreniere signed a reported seven-year, $52.15 million contract to stay on with the New York Rangers, speculation began abounding about who might be next in line to receive a jackpot of an NHL contract. 

At the top of the month, Lafreniere’s Rangers compatriot, Igor Shesterkin, made headlines when he turned down a gob-smacking eight-year, $88 million offer to extend his contract, according to ESPN. Had he accepted the extension, Shesterkin would have had a contract that surpassed that of goalie Carey Price, who signed an eight-year, $84 million extension with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017. 

But insiders say that Shesterkin is playing hardball — that he’s hoping for a larger payday now that he’s an unrestricted free agent and an essential part of the Rangers’ Stanley Cup-winning team. 

“My guess is Shesterkin will get upwards of $11.5 [million] per,” one agent said to ESPN. “He’s not going to settle for a lower number just because.”

Other free agents are looking at other big contracts just signed by up-and-comers to, perhaps, influence their decisions. Jake McCabe, for example, just signed a five-year, $22.55 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, per the official NHL page. 

Shea Theodore, according to Forbes, dodged the “unrestricted free agent” status by signing a seven-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights — a move that will have a capped value of $51.975 million over the life of the contract. 

Who else will demand these jumbo contracts — and, more specifically, who will deserve them?

One player who may be rewarded with a nice payday is Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. He’s already a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, but that won’t stop the Oilers from potentially offering him a contract that’s more than his current cap hit of $3.9 million, especially now that they’ve got more money to play with, thanks to the disappearance of Connor Brown’s performance overage. 

Another potential big payday could come to Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche, who’s an unrestricted free agent with a current cap hit of $.925 million. It’s speculated that he could see a $13 million payday from the team for 2025 and beyond, though it remains to be seen if his cap can be raised. 

Ultimately, who gets what from the NHL team of their choice will depend on the market caps and budget, and there’s no question that more contracts will be announced in the coming days.