The Winnipeg Jets have signed the second overall pick at the 2016 NHL Draft, Patrik Laine, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.
The deal was expected to come through sooner rather than later, as Laine, though he’s not participating in development camp due to injury, should find his way onto the NHL roster this coming season.
#NHLJets have agreed to terms with @PatrikLaine29 on a three-year entry level contract! pic.twitter.com/3oECNHZsGz
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) July 3, 2016
The 6-foot-4 Finnish wing had an impressive draft year that included a record-setting World Junior Championship run on a line with Seabastian Aho and Jesse Puljujarvi, as well as earning MVP honors at the 2016 World Championship in Russia. He also had an impressive season in the Finnish Liiga, where he helped Tappara Tampere to a championship title and earned playoff MVP along the way, scoring 10 goals and 15 points in 18 games.
Laine’s contract is reported to be for the maximum $925,000, but also includes an $850,000 Schedule A bonus and a $1.8 million Schedule B bonus. Details on what the bonuses are for have not surfaced, but there are a few bonuses involved. The maximum per Schedule A bonus is $212,500 with a maximum total of four Schedule A bonuses, which would top out at $850,000. For Schedule B bonuses, the league maximum, excluding award bonuses paid by the league, is $2 million. So, Laine’s deal comes at the league maximum with almost as many bonuses as is allowable under the CBA.
General Fanager reports that this isn’t out of line with a standard bonus structure for a second overall pick. Seven of the last eight second overall picks had total bonuses adding up to $2.6 or $2.65 million.