Justin Sourdif just cashed in. The Washington Capitals signed the forward to an eight-year extension worth $50.8 million on Tuesday night.
That's a $6.35 million average annual value for a player who was making $825,000 last season.
Sourdif, 24, wore number 34 for Washington and delivered his best production yet. He finished with 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points across 78 games.
He also carried a plus-17 rating, chipped in three power play goals, and scored a game-winning goal.
Over his final 10 games he posted five points, and he added two more in his last five outings. Quiet stretch, but the body of work carried the deal.
Is $6.35 million a year the going rate for a middle-six forward with 35 points? That's the question every Capitals fan is going to be asking by Christmas.
Because this isn't a top-line scorer getting paid like one. It's a depth forward getting term and money usually reserved for someone who drives play every single night.
Why the Sourdif contract is a gamble for Washington's cap sheet
General manager Chris Patrick made the call, and head coach Spencer Carbery now has a player locked into the lineup through the back half of the decade.
Eight years is a long runway for a guy who's never cracked 40 points in a season. It's the kind of bet that either ages like fine wine or turns into dead weight by year five.
The Capitals finished last season 43-30-9 with 95 points, good for 12th overall and fourth in their division.
They closed strong too, riding a four-game winning streak and going 8-2-0 over their final 10 games, capped by a 2-1 win at Columbus.
Sourdif was part of that late push, and Washington clearly believes his role only grows from here.
Compare it to buying a used car with a warranty that outlasts the car itself. The number looks fine on paper until the miles start piling up.
Sourdif's cap hit jumps more than sevenfold the moment this extension kicks in. That's a massive swing on the books for a team that already has other core pieces to pay.
Whether this becomes a bargain or an albatross depends entirely on whether Sourdif's ceiling was still rising or whether last season was as good as it gets.
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Washington's front office just made its bet. The locker room, and the standings, will start answering that question soon enough.
Is Justin Sourdif's eight-year, $50.8M deal a smart bet or a bad overpay for the Capitals?
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