Chicago Blackhawks: How Dylan Larkin’s deal affects Nick Schmaltz

The Chicago Blackhawks will be in discussion with Nick Schmaltz about a long term extension. Dylan Larkin’s deal should be a good reference for both the Blackhawks and Schmaltz

It is no secret that the Chicago Blackhawks want Nick Schmaltz to be on their team for a long time to come. Schmaltz has been progressively improving his game since making his debut with the Blackhawks in the 2016-17 season. He reached the 20 goal plateau this year and tallied 52 points on the season as well.

Schmaltz has one year remaining on his entry-level contract and will be looking to cash in on a great start to his career. He is a future number one center for the Blackhawks and could take over that role as soon as next season depending on how things go.

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It is no secret that his next contract is heavy on the mind of Stan Bowman. Throughout this offseason, Bowman has said repeatedly that every move they made (or didn’t make) was done withthe future contract of Schmaltz in mind. Getting him signed is figured to be priority number one throughout this season and going into next offseason.

In the NHL, it is often said that you are not paid what you are worth, but you are paid accordingly to the player that just got signed who is close to your value. For Schmaltz and the Blackhawks, a player that just signed a new deal could provide a great starting point and reference for their upcoming discussions.

Dylan Larkin, 22, is a center for the Detroit Red Wings whose game is very similar to Schmaltz. They are both young, play-making centers who have the potential to become the number one center for each of their respective teams. Last season Larkin had a stat line of 16 goals and 47 assists for a total of 63 points.  Schmaltz last season had 21 goals and 31 assists for a total of 52 points.

This is why Larkin’s contract is a good reference for what Schmaltz might get. The two players have very similar careers to this point. This week the Redwings gave Larkin a 5-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $6.1 million.

Schmaltz and his agent have previously stated that if the Blackhawks want to sign him long term instead of a bridge deal, then his annual salary would have to be high enough to remain competitive throughout the length of the contract. This is another reason to look at Larkin’s deal because his salary is high enough to stay competitive throughout the length of the deal. It also gives him the ability to hit free agency at 28, which would be the case with Schmaltz as well if he were to receive this same deal.

If the Blackhawks want to get this deal done before Schmaltz can test the open market and drive up the price, they will need to make a competitive offer. The contract of Schmaltz is obviously a high priority for Bowman and the front office, and I suspect we will see a deal done early next offseason if not before then. I believe the Dylan Larkin deal will be a strong point of reference for the two sides as they try to keep Schmaltz in Chicago for the foreseeable future.