4 NHL teams unleash $173 Million signing blitz just before midnight

The clock was ticking toward midnight on September 15, and NHL front offices knew it. With the league's new collective bargaining agreement set to alter contract structure rules at the stroke of 12, teams scrambled to finalize deals under the old framework. The result was a late-night signing blitz that pushed well over $170 million in combined contract value across the league.

The headliner was Cutter Gauthier, who agreed to a massive six-year extension with the Anaheim Ducks carrying an average annual value of $13.5 million, with several bonuses in tow. That works out to $81 million in total, with $69.5 million of the contract will be paid in signing bonuses, which is notable because the rules for how bonuses changed as soon as the clock turned to midnight when the new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect.

The structure of the deal is particularly striking. Gauthier's contract includes an $18.6 million signing bonus in year one, plus $850,000 in salary. That means the young forward will pocket nearly $19.5 million during his first season alone.

The Washington Capitals were also busy, locking up forward Justin Sourdif to an eight-year deal worth $50.8 million right before Gauthier’s monster deal. That contract carries an AAV of $6.35 million, a significant commitment to a player the organization clearly views as a long-term cornerstone.

Over in New Jersey, the Devils secured Luke Evangelista on a five-year extension beginning in 2027-28. The deal comes in at $7.25 million per season, totaling $36.25 million. Chris Johnston noted that more than 60 percent of the contract's total value will be paid out in signing bonuses, a structure that reportedly would not have been permitted had the deal been registered even minutes later.

The Carolina Hurricanes also squeezed in under the wire, announcing a one-year extension for veteran center Jordan Staal covering the 2027-28 season. The deal includes a $4 million signing bonus, $900,000 in salary, and up to $5.1 million in additional performance bonuses, potentially pushing the total value to around $10 million.

Adding it all up, the four contracts account for roughly $173 million in committed dollars, with the signing bonus structures serving as a common thread. Teams clearly prioritized getting deals done before the new CBA restrictions kicked in, using the old rules to front-load payments in ways that will soon be off the table.

When you add all deals from yesterday September 15, teams doled out $204.4 million in signing bonus alone, per Frank Seravalli.

I guess now focus shifts to how these contracts age under the salary cap and whether the rush to beat the deadline ultimately benefits the players, the teams, or both.