The Club has signed forward to an eight-year extension, according to the team’s announcement. While the organization typically keeps financial details private,a player of PHNX Sports reports that the deal carries a $7.143 million cap hit, bringing the total value to just over $57.14 million.
This contract marks the largest deal the franchise has made since its establishment following the Arizona Coyotes’ relocation. Starting next season,he will be the team’s second-highest-paid forward, just behind his team mate, who has a $7.15 million cap hit.
At 21, he was viewed as a future cornerstone for the Coyotes when they selected him ninth overall in the 2021 draft. This perception remains unchanged despite the team’s move to another team, but it’s a significant investment for a player who has yet to complete a full NHL season.
After spending his first season post-draft entirely in junior hockey with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, he made the Coyotes’ opening night roster for the 2022-23 season. He put up respectable numbers for a 19-year-old winger on a rebuilding team, scoring six goals and adding nine assists for 15 points in 33 games.
However, averaging just 13:07 minutes per game, the Coyotes returned him to juniors in February to focus on long-term development. It was surprising to see him left off the opening night roster last season, resulting in a demotion to the AHL’s as part of the team’s final cuts.
He quickly demonstrated he had outgrown the AHL, starting the season with 28 points in 29 games before being recalled in January. In the latter half of the 2023-24 NHL season, he proved ready for top-six minutes, scoring 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points in 45 games, while averaging 16:17 minutes per game. Had he played all 82 games, he would have projected to score 64 points, placing him second on the team behind Keller’s 76.
Entering this season,his role in the team organization is clear: he will be on the opening-night roster, likely serving as the second-line right wing behind Keller. However, committing to such a long-term deal for a player with limited experience carries some risk, despite his high potential.
If he emerges as a consistent 70-point scorer, this contract could prove to be a bargain for the team, especially with the salary cap expected to rise. Nonetheless, the extension adds immediate pressure on him to perform up to that cap hit starting this season.
The eight-year deal will take him to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2033, when he will be 30 years old. Any potential trade protection from the extension won’t kick in until the 2030-31 season at the earliest, coinciding with his eligibility to first enter the UFA market.
