Did Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes jump the gun this past summer by signing 20-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky to an eight-year, US$60.8 million-contract that kicks in next season?
Hughes gave Slafkovsky the contract after the No. 1 overall pick at the 2022 NHL Draft had only played 121 games with the Canadiens and was coming off a sophomore season in which he posted 20-30-50 totals in 82 games. As a rookie, Slafkovsky had 4-6-10 totals in 39 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. His new contract has an annual salary-cap hit of US$7.6 million.
In this Hockey Inside/Out bonus episode, former Canadiens teammates and 1986 Stanley Cup champions Chris Nilan and Rick Green join the Gazette’s Stu Cowan to discuss Slafkovsky’s contract and whether Hughes made the right decision locking him up for big bucks.
Green, who was the No. 1 overall pick by Washington at the 1976 NHL Draft, also talks about the Capitals owner asking him to take a pay cut from his US$90,000 salary.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below, where you can also post a question you’d like answered in an upcoming HI/O bonus episode.