Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov just became the highest-paid NHL player in history Tuesday, signing an eight-year, $136 million ($17 million AAV) contract extension to stay with the club. The New Jersey Devils might want to keep that number in their back pocket for future reference.
Very quietly, Devils captain Nico Hischier has just two years remaining on his contract and currently makes a measly $7.25 million against the cap annually. Hischier, 26, just scored a career-high 35 goals and does have an 80-point season under his belt.
Depending on how much further Hischier can take his game under second-year Devils coach Sheldon Keefe and how high the NHL salary cap rises, the captain could threaten to push up into the mid-double digits in terms of annual cap hit.
Where the Devils will really have to worry in 2027 is when Quinn Hughes hits free agency. If Hughes does end up joining the Devils as a free agent, and Hischier doesn't re-sign early, Tom Fitzgerald could have to dole out two massive contracts at the same time.
Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner, should realistically end up signing a contract similar to or greater than what Kaprizov just got from Minnesota.
Down the road, five years from now, younger brother Jack Hughes will be a free agent, too. If Kaprizov is getting a $17 million annual cap hit now, imagine what Hughes can do in five years, especially if he stays healthy and finds another gear to his game.
It should be noted that Kaprizov's $17 million AAV accounts for 16.4% of the current cap, whereas Hischier's $7.25 million was at 8.9% at the start of its life. When Jack Hughes signed his eight-year, $8 million AAV deal in 2022, he was at 9.7%.
Realistically, both Devils could end up doubling their current salaries, at a minimum, on their next contracts with the team.
There's also Luke Hughes, who may or may not become a free agent at the same time as Jack in 2030. If his next contract is closer to three years than eight years, which it's not currently expected to be, that's more money to dish out.
The internal cap is a thing, too, and the Devils aren't the biggest market in the NHL. How the Devils navigate that in the coming years remains to be seen, but it's clear that the big guns are in for huge deals in the not-so-distant future.