Bridge contracts disappear as more teams lock up talented young players
Few teams today would dare try what the Montreal Canadiens did with P.K. Subban in the winter of 2013.
So-called “bridge contracts,” like the two-year agreement Subban inked with his now former team in Montreal, are disappearing as more teams opt to lock up their talented young players as soon as possible.
The Carolina Hurricanes added the latest name to the group on Tuesday morning, signing 23-year-old Victor Rask to a six-year deal worth $24 million US.
Deals like Rask’ are essentially low to medium-risk bets under a restrictive cap system. Teams are betting that the contracts, the first after entry level agreements, will become bargains one day if the player continues to improve and the cap continues to rise.