2023 NHL Awards - Player Availability — Matthew Tkachuk's contract is ranked the best in the NHL

Top 5 NHL contracts that are giving the best returns ft. Matthew Tkachuk

Modified Jul 24, 2023 18:51 GMT

Money talks in professional sports. Whether for good or bad. Every player's worth is determined by an overlap between his output and cap hit in the salary cap-era NHL. Some players offer excellent value for money. Certain athletes don't.

It's about the players who contribute the highest relative worth to their contract's financial amount. But in a nice manner, "How is this guy making that much?"

Here is a list of players who have the best contracts in the NHL (according to The Athletic):

1 - Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 mil, 7 years) is NHL's best contract

It’s still extremely difficult to believe that the Florida Panthers locked up Matthew Tkachuk for eight years at a price tag of under $10 million per season.

The Panthers standout had probably the five-on-five analytics era's most significant NHL season. When Tkachuk was on the ice, Florida performed something unusual that resulted in another year with a career-high number of points. In the playoffs, he took it a step further and became a problem for every team he played.

In the NHL, Tkachuk is a unicorn; he possesses a highly uncommon combination of strength and dexterity, shooting and passing, and offense and defense.

2 - Jack Hughes ($8 million, 7 years)

When Jack Hughes signed with the New Jersey Devils, who had just 55 points in 120 NHL games, it appeared as if the Devils had overpaid. Considering what Hughes had demonstrated thus far, it looked like a bit of a gamble, and considering his performance, it appeared like New Jersey could have acquired him for a little less.

Hughes took off in 2022-2023, developing into a player who, at the age of just 21, operates on the outside of the Hart Trophy conversation. He led the Devils to the playoffs and a first-round triumph over the New York Rangers while scoring 99 points in 78 NHL games and making exceptional two-way contributions.

Hughes was rated 10th by Net Rating last season, and it's not hard to imagine him contending for one of the top five spots one day.

All of that over the subsequent seven years will cost $8 million. Hughes' current on-ice value is easily $12 million. Due to his advancing age and the rising cap, that value has increased significantly.

3 - Cale Makar ($9 million, 4 years)

Cale Makar may have won back-to-back Norris Trophies if it weren't for the 22 games he missed last season. He was still the top defenseman on a per-game basis and not far off from the overall value he recorded the year before.

As the Colorado Avalanche struggled through injuries and ate significant minutes while still bringing the attacking flair his game is known for, Makar in particular elevated his defensive game to new heights.

Makar will be the NHL's top defenseman, a legitimate top-five player, and someone whose average value is closer than plus-22. Makar, who is one of the few players in this league who can get close to a league maximum deal, is the player who receives the lowest yearly compensation of any player.

4 - Tim Stützle ($8.4 million, 8 years)

Tim Stützle isn't a player worth $12.4 million right now; he's not even a $10 million player. But he's getting there, and for a 21-year-old superstar in the making, a rising cap looms particularly large. Stutzle's defensive ability is still debatable, but last season saw a significant improvement in his scoring production as he averaged 95 points per game.

Given his propensity to consume large amounts of time and his elevated status for his age, the model is an avid follower of his current track and his upcoming games for the Ottawa Senators

5 - Matt Boldy ($7 million, 7 years)

Matt Boldy made a big impression with the Minnesota Wild in 2021-22, scoring 39 points in 47 games, but the sophomore slump struck him hard to start 2022-23. Boldy scored 12 goals and had 29 points through his first 42 games. Not spectacular, but good.

At that moment, the Wild agreed to a seven-season extension with a modest $7 million cap hit. Then things started to shift.

With 19 goals and 34 points in his final 39 NHL games of the season, Boldy fully demonstrated his talent and showed why he is such a bargain.