Jared McCann, who will be 26 this offseason, needs to be re-signed at the end of the season and is expected to see a hefty raise based on his recent performance. The former first-rounder is having a career year and is on pace for 34 goals and 53 points. The Seattle Kraken do not have any issues with cap space but need to ensure they are getting a good deal on his next contract and will not regret it in the long term.
Option 1 – Sign McCann Short Term
The Kraken’s first option is to sign McCann to a three-year contract. The benefit of this is that they can determine if this season is a one-off or if they have a budding star on their hands. The downside is that it will cost more on an average annual basis, and if he continues to develop, he could cost more on his next deal. Here are some contract comparables that other players in similar situations have signed.
| Player, Age and Date Contract Signed | Statistics Previous Year | Contract |
| Sam Reinhart, 25, Aug. 11, 2021 | 54 Games Played (GP) 25 Goals (G) 15 Assists (A) 40 Points (P) | 3 Years, $6.5 Millon Average Annual Value (AAV) |
| Jakub Vrána, 25, Aug. 10, 2021 | 50 GP, 19 G, 17 A, 36 P | 3 Years, $5.25 Million AAV |
| Alexander Wennberg, 26, Jul. 28, 2021 | 56 GP, 17 G, 12 A, 29 P | 3 Years, $4.5 Million AAV |
Short-term deals are great because they offer some flexibility. For example, Alex Wennberg is not playing up to his contract value, so at least the Kraken aren’t anchored down long term on this contract. Cap flexibility is an asset every team wants, and these short-term deals can make a big difference as to how an organization is built and managed.
Based on this chart, McCann would come in somewhere between $6 million and $6.5 million per season for three years. He is having a very similar campaign to what Reinhart did in 2020-21, which may be the standard his agent uses when discussing a short-term contract. While the AAV is higher, this could be a bargain by the end of it if the sniper can continue his progression over the next three years.
Option 2 – Sign McCann Long-Term
The Kraken may decide to go in the opposite direction and sign McCann to a long-term deal. This could be anywhere between six and eight years. The benefit here is they get the player locked up and don’t have to worry about re-signing at a much higher rate in the short term. The downside is that if the player regresses, they might be stuck with an anchor that can’t be moved. Here are some comparables on a long-term deal.
| Player, Age and Date Contract Signed | Statistics Previous Year | Contract |
| Josh Anderson, 26, Oct. 8, 2020 | 26 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P | 7 Years, $5.5 Million AAV |
| Joel Eriksson Ek, 24, Jul. 2, 2021 | 56 GP, 19 G, 11 A, 30 P | 8 Years, $5.25 Million AAV |
| Drake Batherson, 23, Sep. 3, 2021 | 56 GP, 17 G, 17 A, 34 P | 6 Years, $4.975 Million AAV |
These three deals were all signed recently, but two already look like steals. Batherson was named to the All-Star Game this season, while Eriksson EK is having a career season with the Minnesota Wild. The question is, will these players be able to maintain and outplay their contracts for their full length.
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The most comparable long-term deal here is Eriksson Ek. He was on a 29-goal, 45-point pace last season, which is similar to McCann this season. But are the Kraken willing to pay him over $5.25 million per season for the next eight years based on one strong campaign? These are the risks an organization takes when they sign long-term deals and something the Kraken will need to debate this offseason.
Verdict: Short-Term Deal
The Kraken should try and sign McCann to a short-term deal this offseason for a couple of reasons. The first is his shooting percentage is not sustainable. Over his career, he has a shooting percentage of 9.6%, but this season, he is at 16.2%. For comparison, Alex Ovechkin has a career shooting percentage of 12.8%. There will be some regression in the next few seasons in goal scoring, which could make a long-term contract problematic.
The other reason is McCann has yet to play a full 82-game schedule and has been out of the lineup with injuries throughout his career. In order to get the maximum value of a long-term contract, the organization needs some confidence that McCann will remain relatively healthy. The Kraken should stick to a three-year contract as it is the best option for the team now and in the future.
