couldnt afford 2nd t
Joined: Sep. 2021
Posts: 1,014
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Sanderson was Ottawa's best defenseman last year. By the end of the season, he was relied on to play the toughest minutes. He's already used in a top pairing role. He can do everything from be a shutdown guy, transition, PP, etc. The typical cap hit percentage for a defenseman who breaks out as a top pairing D on their ELC and signs a 7-8 year deal has historically been between 10-11 percent.
This is a no-brainer contract. If they don't sign him now, he isn't coming in cheaper next year. He will either come in at a similar price, more expensive, or they will have to risk signing a 2-3 year 5-6 million AAV type bridge deal.
Chabot's AAV likely also influenced what Sanderson received. Hilariously, the got 50k more than Chabot.