NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau and Mike Rupp when asked about what Connor McDavid‘s next contract could look like after Auston Matthews $13.25 million extension.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jamison Coyle: “How about the ripple effect throughout the league? If you’re Connor McDavid you’re sitting back and you’re going, okay, $13.25 …”
Boudreau: “He’s going yeah.” (fist pumps)
Coyle: “So whenever is contract is up, what do you think Connor gets? I mean, based on who knows what the salary cap is going to look like in a couple years.”
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Boudreau: “He’ll be what, 29 or something when it’s up. It would not shock me…”
Coyle: “Are they just going to keep leap-frogging?”
Boudreau: “… at this moment. Yeah. I’m mean, for him to get eight years at $15 (million per). If he went eight years at whatever he’s getting, ah, $12.5 (million) the last time. I mean, that wouldn’t surprise me at all.
But every year it leap frogs. Look at when Erik Karlsson signed that deal. Everybody went ‘Oh my God, like this, and you look up and he’s sixth or seventh on the list.
So, the money’s going up. Players are going up. It’s the same in every world. They’ll make their money. They’re not going to be hurtin’.”
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Rupp: “And let’s not forget what happened this past year with Vegas. It was the first time a player with $10 million-plus on their roster won the Stanley Cup. So it can be done. It can be done. It’s a little tricky when you start pushing it further and further away from ten, but it can be done and it’s about building a team that complements those players.”