3 players to help predict Hronek's next Canucks contract
The Vancouver Canucks have some large contract negotiations coming up. Not only is superstar Elias Pettersson in the final year of his deal, but Filip Hronek will also need an extension.
Hronek was acquired last season from the Detroit Red Wings but only played a few games for the Canucks due to injuries. Through the first quarter of this season, he has blown all expectations out of the water. The 26-year-old currently has 23 points in 23 games, tied for the third most of any defenceman.
While this breakout season has been great for the Canucks on the ice, it’s also going to make things more difficult during contract negotiations. Hronek will be a restricted free agent on July 1 and is due a large raise on the $4.4 million he makes.
He does have arbitration rights and a qualifying offer of $5.28 million. If the Canucks hope to sign him before things reach that point, they’ll need to offer a lot more than that.
It’s difficult to find comparables for Hronek as his production has spiked significantly this season. How much of that is due to playing with Quinn Hughes? That’s hard to discern.
However, there are a few contracts around the league that can provide some clues as to what Hronek’s extension could look like. Here are three useful comparables.
Devon Toews
- Contract length: Seven years
- Contract value: $7.25 million per season
- Percentage of cap: 8.68%
- Stats in year signed: 80 GP, 7 G, 43 A, 50 PTS
This contract that Devon Toews signed with the Colorado Avalanche just before this season is the most logical comparable for Hronek. Both players are excellent sidekicks to superstar defencemen: Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes.
This deal was also just signed in October so it’s fairly recent. However, Toews was going to be an unrestricted free agent, while Hronek will still be an RFA upon the expiration of his current deal. That does give the Canucks a bit more bargaining power.
While Toews is generally regarded as a top-15 defenceman across the league, Hronek seems destined to have better numbers this year. Still, on a long-term extension, right around $7.25 million seems fair.
MacKenzie Weegar
- Contract length: Eight years
- Contract value: $6.25 million
- Percentage of cap: 7.58%
- Stats in year signed: 80 GP, 8 G, 36 A, 44 PTS
This contract, which just kicked in this season, would have been a great example to point to before the season started. Hronek’s career high is 39 points in 64 games — very similar numbers to what MacKenzie Weegar posted before signing this deal.
However, Hronek’s hot start to this season means this comparable is quickly getting old. The only way that it would remain relevant would be if Hronek spent a considerable amount of time away from Hughes and looked lost while doing so.
This is now the absolute bottom range of any extension. If the Canucks can sign Hronek for this number for the long term, it should be considered a great deal.
Jacob Trouba
- Contract length: Seven years
- Contract value: $8 million per season
- Percentage of cap: 9.82%
- Stats in year signed: 82 GP, 8 G, 42 A, 50 PTS
This is the oldest contract on this list, signed back in 2019. Jacob Trouba was coming off of a season where he scored 50 points and was his usual intimidating self. When he inked this deal, the 6-foot-3 defenceman avoided arbitration as a restricted free agent in a similar situation to Hronek’s.
If the cap does rise to $87.5 million, as projected by Gary Bettman, Trouba’s 2019 salary with this contract would be equivalent to just over $8.5 million. If Hronek gets that much, he’ll be the highest-paid defenceman on the Canucks, making even more than Hughes.
This seems to be the ceiling that Hronek could demand on a long-term deal. While it might seem like a lot of money, with the way that the 26-year-old is playing, it could be what’s needed to get the deal done.
Follow Channels and Categories