The best, worst value contracts for every NHL team

The 2020-21 season is fast approaching after an offseason unlike any other in NHL history. With the salary cap staying flat at $82.5 million for the foreseeable future — thanks to COVID-19’s impact on many aspects of the business — teams have never felt more strapped to stay compliant.

In this exercise, we identified the best contracts on every team, the ones with which the player provides the most production per dollar. We also identified the worst — you know, the ones that drive both fans and general managers up the wall.

Note: This list does not include any entry-level contracts (as they are exceedingly valuable for the team). Nor does it include players on long-term injured reserve. All contract details are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Best: John Gibson, 27, G
$6.4 million through 2026-27

Gibson had a down year in 2019-20, but what Ducks player didn’t? The goalie has been this team’s saving grace for the past few seasons, which could be described as forgettable at best. At a time when more teams are shifting to goalie tandems, Gibson is a total workhorse, starting 60 games in 2017-18, 57 games in 2018-19 and starting 51 of 71 games in 2019-20. Getting that type of load from a guy making less than 8% of the salary cap is a tremendous asset as this team tries to retool on the fly.

Worst: Cam Fowler, 28, D
$6.5 million through 2025-26, modified no-trade clause (player submits four-team trade list)

Ryan Getzlaf, the Ducks’ 35-year-old captain, will earn $8.25 million this season, which is the final year of his deal. Anaheim also has two more years of Ryan Kesler at $6.875 million per season, though Kesler’s career might be over, as he is stuck on injured reserve following his 2019 hip resurfacing injury. Once Anaheim gets past those two veteran contracts, there will be some relief, helping the team become younger and faster. As of now, the biggest question is Fowler’s deal. The defenseman inked the eight-year, $62 million contract in 2017 after a career year but has not looked as dominant since then.

Best: Jakob Chychrun, 22, D
$4.6 million through 2024-25

Chychrun was selected No. 16 in the 2016 draft, a pick acquired by the Coyotes in exchange for taking on Pavel Datsyuk‘s dead contract. Arizona then signed Chychrun to a six-year, $27.6 million deal in 2018. It’s good value for a defenseman just entering his prime. Chychrun had his best offensive season in 2019-20 (12 goals and 26 points in 63 games) while ranking third on the team in average ice time (22:26). The Coyotes are still looking for more from the 22-year-old, but there’s no reason to expect he won’t get there.

Worst: Phil Kessel, 33, RW
$6.8 million through 2021-22, modified no-trade clause (player submits eight-team trade list)

The Coyotes traded for Kessel in 2019, hoping that he could help the franchise reach new heights. “In Phil’s career so far, he’s put up some unreal numbers, won championships and made a lot of dough,” coach Rick Tocchet told ESPN in 2019. “Now he’s coming to…