BREAKING: it costs about $40 million to “move Heaven and Earth.”
With the 2016-17 season looming, Johnny Gaudreau finally came to terms with the Calgary Flames on a six-year contract, covering one year of potential unrestricted free agency.
Neither Gaudreau nor the Flames revealed the financial terms, but reporters including TSN’s Bob McKenzie report that it’s a cap hit of about $6.75 million. Over six years, that would work out to $40.5 million.
Gaudreau announced the signing on his Twitter feed:
It looks like the deal stands as another example of lockout-proofing. McKenzie reports that Gaudreau will receive at least two signing bonuses: one $3 million bonus now and another $3.5 million one during a potential work stoppage in 2020-21.
Gaudreau’s deal is pretty similar to that of his partner in crime, Sean Monahan, who signed a seven-year deal with an annual value of $6.375 million. That $6.75 million mark also matches Mark Giordano’s cap hit for the team lead.
Calgary’s cap situation is pretty snug now. General Fanager puts them at about a half million.
Will we see Nikita Kucherov hash something out with the Lightning today, too? It’s possible.