Connor Bedard's contract is great for both him and the Blackhawks

The cat has finally been released from the bag; the moment all of Chicago has been waiting for this summer has arrived. Franchise player Connor Bedard has been extended by the Blackhawks for $75 million over five years. This sets Bedard up for a $15 million per season salary, which makes him the NHL's third-highest-paid player after Leo Carlsson and Kirill Kaprizov.

The fanbase can breathe a collective sigh of relief with this development finally reaching the finish line. Kyle Davidson has taken care of the offseason's most important objective.

Bedard deal is good for both sides

This is a deal that benefits both the player and the team. While Davidson would have preferred getting Bedard locked up for the max eight-year window, it is not a surprise that this wound up being a mid-range extension. This makes sense for Bedard; the league's salary cap is rising drastically. It is going up by $8.5 million next season and will keep rising over the ensuing years. Therefore, it is logical to find a middle ground here. By the time this contract expires in the 2030-2031 campaign, Bedard will be turning 26 years old. He will be a UFA entering his prime years with a chance to cash in on what will be a much different market by then.

For now, this $15 million Bedard contract does not break the bank for the Blackhawks. It may be a high number, but it could have significantly more money. For reference, Carlsson will be getting paid $18 million by the Anaheim Ducks across this same five-year timeline after the team was forced to match an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. There were also reports that Bedard's camp was looking for a number around the $17 million range of the Minnesota Wild's Kaprizov. So, the fact that Bedard's number came in considerably less than those deals is a win for this team. Now that Bedard has signed, it will be fascinating to see what happens with the other big gun RFA's in need of new deals. Macklin Celebrini's contract with the San Jose Sharks will be one to monitor, in particular. Surely this will be a deal that his agent brings up in negotiations.

It is also not unprecedented for a top RFA to not sign for the max term. Past history with the Blackhawks has shown that Patrick Kane's first big-ticket extension after his entry-level-contract expired was a five-year deal as well. Kane went on to extend for the full eight years once that deal concluded, after winning three Stanley Cups with this team. Bedard has impressively been able to produce at a similar rate to Kane did through his first three seasons, despite playing on a much worse team around him.

If Bedard can show the form he displayed in the first half of last season prior to going down with a shoulder injury, the contract will already begin to age like a fine wine. Let's not forget this is a player who has the potential to be among the best in the game. This will especially be the case as the team built around him continues to improve. This signing signals that this is Bedard's team, if it was not already. The Blackhawks captaincy will almost certainly be his this season once he returns from injury. This upcoming campaign will be a big one for Bedard as he enters year four looking to lead this team out of the rebuild and into contention status.

Overall, these next five years will be crucial for Bedard and the Blackhawks. The time is now for this team to start ascending in the standings and begin competing for a playoff spot. It will be interesting to see what else happens this summer before next season gets underway. Does Davidson have anything else left up his sleeve?

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