Thomas Chabot will need a new contract sooner rather than later. And it would behoove the Ottawa Senators to figure it out sooner rather than later.
In a previous piece, I discussed how the Chabot is under contract for two more seasons. In fact, he’ll be eligible for an extension on July 1, 2027. That assessment stemmed from the idea that the Senators made a serious commitment to Chabot by naming him captain. But his contract situation could open the door for some uncertainty.
And while there is no question that Chabot is staying put in the Nation’s Capital, you have to think that there might be a possibility of a reprise of the Drake Batherson situation. That’s why the Senators and Chabot’s camp need to figure things out as soon as possible.
Yes, there is certainly a willingness to get something done. The question is: What would Chabot’s next contract look like?
Chabot is entering the seventh year of an eight-year, $64 million deal. That’s an $8 million AAV and could likely jump given the rising cap situation in the NHL.
Now, a couple of things will change. First, Chabot will no longer be eligible for an eight-year deal. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) caps extensions with current teams at seven years.
That means Chabot could only sign for seven years. If he does, that would be just fine. A seven-year deal could take Chabot all the way to his age-38 season.
Perhaps the biggest question might be the dollar terms. And that might be the biggest sticking point.
Cale Makar made the Senators’ Chabot situation more complicated
Cale Makar’s record-setting deal made the Senators’ situation with Chabot more complicated. No, Chabot won’t be even close to Makar’s $20 million AAV. But the Senators’ captain will certainly be in line for a raise.
The biggest question mark would be just how much of a raise.
Some of the younger guys, like Vancouver Canucks blueliner Zeev Buium, are getting $9 million a year. That’s the going rate for unproven guys that teams are betting on long-term.
However, Thomas Chabot is a proven commodity. So, would it make sense that he signs for something around $12 million AAV? Would $14 million make sense?
Considering how much things got clogged up with Drake Batherson, there’s a risk that an extension for Chabot could become complicated as well.
Perhaps something like a seven-year, $70 million deal might make sense for Chabot and the organization. In a way, it would be like meeting somewhere in the middle of a hefty pay raise. Going from $8 million to $10 million AAV isn’t a massive leap.
As a matter of fact, you would think that Chabot might be tempted to do the Senators a solid by accepting a more reasonable deal.
Ultimately, this conversation may be way too premature. The season is just getting started, and expectations are bullish on the Senators. But once the dust settles on the beginning of the season, questions will emerge regarding Chabot’s next contract.
Considering how tense the Batherson situation got, the Senators and Chabot might want to diffuse any potential issues before they happen.
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