With the dust settled from the chaos of NHL free agency and players establishing themselves with their new organizations, Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic has published the annual contract efficiency rankings.
Two weeks ago, Luszczyszyn wrote an article grading the NHL’s most improved teams, placing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 8th spot despite minimal moves. Still, the argument was that the Leafs “Look better, and that closes the gap between them and the league’s best considerably.”
Fast forward to July 25, and the Leafs have significantly improved from last season’s 14th place, now ranking 8th among the 32 NHL clubs on the list that evaluates the efficiency of all their current player contracts and determines which organizations are spending their future money most effectively.
Let’s break this down, shall we?
Starting with the forward group, the best contract grade belongs to the team’s number one option, Auston Matthews. His four-year, $53.2 million contract kicks in this fall, earning an ‘A+’ grade for his MVP-caliber play over the past several seasons. His deal commands only 15 percent of the salary cap – an extremely efficient arrangement for a player with all the bells and whistles as a top forward in the NHL.
The second highest grading goes to Bobby McMann, who signed a two-year extension worth $2.7 million and carries an average annual value of $1.35 million per season. The value here is significant. Coming off a career year that saw the forward score 15 goals and add nine assists for 24 points in 56 games, McMann is an extremely hard worker and can be slotted anywhere in the lineup while being dependable.
The remainder of the forward list is as follows (with grading and contract).
3. Mitch Marner (B-, $10.9m x 1)
4. Pontus Holmberg (B-, $800,000 x 1)
5. Calle Jarnkrok (C+, $2.1m x 2)
6. Ryan Reaves (C+, $1.4m x 2)
7. Max Domi (C, $3.8m x 4)
8. John Tavares (C, $11m x 1)
9. David Kampf (C-, $2.5m x 3)
10. William Nylander (D, $11.5m x 8)
The two most notable are David Kampf and William Nylander, who rank the two worst contracts on the entire roster, let alone the forward group. Kampf, entering the second year of a four-year, $9.6 million contract signed in the summer of 2023, primarily centers the fourth line and makes $2.4 million per season. With prospects waiting in the wings at a lower cost, his price and term are burdensome for a…