When comparing Macklin Celebrini’s new contract with those of other NHL stars, it becomes clear that no one will carry a higher average annual value than he will. However, that won’t actually be the case until the 2027-28 season. In the upcoming campaign, Connor Bedard will still earn more than the San Jose Sharks‘ star, thanks to the contract extension he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Heading into the 2026-27 NHL campaign, Bedard finally moved off his RFA status and signed a long extension with the Blackhawks. Under his current deal, Bedard will make an average salary of $15 million over the next five years. Bedard’s extension runs through 2031, when he will become an UFA at the age of 25.
During the 2026-27 NHL season, however, Bedard will earn a total salary of $17 million, according to PuckPedia. Celebrini, on the other hand, won’t come close to that figure. The Sharks will pay Celebrini a salary of $975,000 next season because he is still under his entry-level contract.
Celebrini is still on rookie contract
The record-breaking deal Celebrini signed—setting the highest average annual value (AAV) in NHL history—won’t kick in until the 2027-28 season. The wait will be well worth it, though.
Macklin Celebrini at the 2026 Olympics.
In 2027-28, Celebrini is set to earn a $20.8 million salary from the Sharks. As things stand, that would be the highest annual salary in the NHL two seasons from now. During the 2027-28 campaign, the North Vancouver duo’s salaries will combine for a total of $36.8 million.
However, with pending unrestricted free agents such as Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Jason Robertson, combined with the league’s rising salary cap, many around the NHL wonder whether another record-breaking contract could be signed in the near future.
Bedard’s deal puts him in great spot
Based on AAV, Bedard ranks fourth among all NHL contracts (third if only active contracts are considered, which would leave Celebrini out of the equation). In terms of total value, however, Bedard’s five-year, $75 million contract falls all the way to 35th in the league.
Still, the 21-year-old may not have wanted it any other way. In 2031, Bedard will get the chance to test free agency as a 25-year-old. With his prime years still ahead of him and coming off character-testing seasons with the Blackhawks, Bedard could be in line for a massive payday on the open market.
And even if he wants to stay in Chicago, the possibility of losing him in free agency would likely push the Blackhawks to go above and beyond with a top-of-the-market offer. All things considered, the timing couldn’t be much better for the North Vancouver native. It isn’t luck, though. This is exactly what Bedard’s camp was after and why it had no interest in signing a maximum-term deal.
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