Offer sheets are a rare occurrence in the NHL but that doesn’t stop some from trying to use it as leverage over the course of the summer. Some have speculated that this could change this summer with so many prominent restricted free agents in need of new contracts. That list includes Jacob Trouba, Kyle Connor, and Patrik Laine (Winnipeg), Matthew Tkachuk (Calgary), Mitch Marner (Toronto), Sebastian Aho (Carolina), and Mikko Rantanen (Colorado), among many others. Teams now know what the draft pick compensation will cost; TSN’s Gord Miller reports (Twitter link) that the offer sheet thresholds are as follows:
$1,395,053 or below: No compensation required
$1,395,054 to $2,113,716: Third-round pick
$2,113,717 to $4,227,437: Second-round pick
$4,227,438 to $6,341,152: First-round pick plus a third-round pick
$6,341,153 to $8,454,871: First, second, and third-round picks
$8,454,872 to $10,568,589: Two first-round picks plus second and third-round picks
$10,568,590 and over: Four first-round picks
All draft picks must be from the team that gets the player to sign the offer sheet; selections from other teams cannot be substituted. The maximum denominator used in determining the AAV of the cost is five. If a player signs an offer sheet for a term longer than that, the total value of the contract is divided by five and that number will be used as the AAV for determining draft pick compensation, not the average value of the contract itself.
Considering the price tag for someone in the top tier in terms of both salary and draft pick compensation, it’s quite unlikely that anyone potentially in line for that type of payday will be signing an offer sheet. However, the threshold for a second-rounder is at least somewhat intriguing. A $4.25MM AAV is fairly significant and with a second being the cost at that price tag, it’s plausible that a team could target a lower-end player with an offer around that level, forcing the team to match or part with that player for a fairly low return.
Of course, given how infrequently players actually sign an offer sheet, there’s a very good chance that the summer will pass without one actually being submitted. Despite that, expect there to be plenty of speculation about these over the coming months.
There are definitely some players there worth the 8.4-10.5 mil compensation level.
Marner is getting one – book it.
marner is great but is he worth 4 first rounders as that will be the pricetag.
Depends on the team. If you’re a contender with cap space, why not? It’s not likely they’d be getting anything near Marners output with all those picks combined. If you’re a team just looking to break out and compete like Arizona or Vancouver, it’s a little more risky.
@JD, what “contender” has 10+ million to spare next year, and doesnt mind losing 4 1st round picks? Not many teams have 10+ in space and all their picks for the next 4 years. Let alone a contender.
I know Carolina does off the top of my head. That all just depends if Dundon is going to spend money though. Not much of a past to go on there though. I’m sure there’s at least a couple more somewhere as well.
JD hays in your drinking water ? No way Leafs don’t sign Marner and no team will in there right mind risk giving up 4 picks even though he’s a heck of a talent. He’s staying as a Leaf for a long time you can bank on that !
I mean heck Mitch only played his minor hockey in the area and junior in London and know plays for the Leafs but y’a Jd he’s gonna go to Carolina you gotta be smoking some good stuff bud!
HA..& that’s comming straight from Mitch …
Steveo13,
I’m oviously just using the handle . Clearly he wouldn’t have time or be bothered with these kinds of rooms. Clearly he is one of my favourite players in the league.
You”ll have to forgive JD he has a lot of foolish ideas and ask many awful questions. He loves to post on all things leafs even though he’s a sens fan. You can also find him commenting on Jays rooms too being the guy clearly cheers for losing teams.
You people a trying to say Idk a team like the bruins couldn’t find a way to get one of those guys they have one of they deepest farms right now they could give up the firsts if need be
Just think what it would be like to have one of those guys with DK and jake d talk about a 1-2 punch with the there top line also
I didn’t say he was going to Carolina. If you don’t know how to read, I said theyre a contender that have the cap space to do it. If you’re Toronto, why would you let your best forward leave?
I do think there will be a few offer sheets this year though. Specifically with Point and Marner. Those teams aren’t in the best cap spot and somebody could put pressure on them. Then it would really force their hand and make them have to trade somebody if they want to keep these guys.
You implied it like your duchene to the Blackhawks trade lol. Two good calls on your end bud. Man really like I said in my other post you can bank on him signing with the leafs! Too bad you’ve never seen a sens player half as talented as Mitch!
Clueless. People keep talking about Marner like he HAS to sign an offer sheet if presented with one. Like Marner#16 said, he’s born and raised in the area and every level of hockey he has played since he was a child has been for a team in or around Toronto. Playing for the Leafs is a dream come true for the kid and you think he’ll sign elsewhere just so he can make a couple extra dollars more than what Toronto will pay him? You’re either delusional and/or a Leaf hater.
againigan. an offer sheet doesnt have to be signed by marner but he will likely see one if he hits FA on July 01 so people speculate. Having played his entire career in the GTA and London isn’t going to scare teams from putting a sheet out there.
JD is right that Carolina has a ton of space but with Aho being an FA, I dont see them putting an offer out there and I do agree a rebuilding team forfeiting 4 1st rounders like a zona or Vancouver or ottawa would be nuts.
mitch is a heck of a player and would make any team better but his opportunity to maximize money away from the ice will come in Toronto.