10 Highest-paid NHL centres and where Elias Pettersson fits in

As much as the majority of people knew it was coming, there was still plenty of conversation when Leon Draisaitl finally signed his contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers. At eight years and $112 million, it surpasses Shea Weber's $110 million as the most expensive contact in NHL history.

The same applies when you look at Draisait's new deal based on Average Annual Value (AAV), which is worth $14 million per season. This is more than the $13.25 million AAV Auston Matthews receives every season on his current contract.

Of course all of this will change when it comes time to the Oilers having to negotiate with Connor McDavid, who will undoubtedly take over as the best-paid player in the NHL (and deservedly so). However, what about the Vancouver Canucks' centres, most specifically Elias Pettersson?

Talented but inconsistent

Pettersson is a polarising figure in some respects. He has the talent, but there are those who question if he fulfils his potential on a consistent enough basis.

Further, any potential for criticism will only now be magnified, due to the eight-year deal the 25-year-old signed at the start of March. Here is a look at how his contract measures up compared to the top-paid centres in the NHL, based on AAV:

Pettersson well-paid full stop

Pettersson is also fifth among all centres, when it comes to the $92.8 million total of his deal. To provide even more context of just how well-paid he is, consider that both his AAV and total contract are sixth among all NHL players regardless of position.

With this information to hand, you do have to wonder if the 2017 fifth overall draft pick is worth how much he is paid? This question becomes more relevant, when you consider how he fell away as the 2023-24 season progressed.

Heading into the All-Star Break, Pettersson had produced 64 points in 49 games, putting him on course to surpass his career high of 102 points a season earlier. From this point onwards though, he would only record a further 31 points in 46 games (including six in 13 playoff contests).

Hampered by an apparent injury

Certainly this is not the type of form you expect from your number one centre, who is one of the best-paid players in the game. Not helping the situation, was confusion and a lack of clarity about an apparent injury issue which developed in January.

Pettersson advised after the season, that he had dealt with a knee injury which increasingly caused him more pain and compromised his performances as the campaign progressed. This surprised the Canucks organisation, who reportedly believed he was over-blowing the extent of the injury.

In any event, the four-time NHL All-Star is expected to be fully healthy for the beginning of the new season. No matter the extent of how serious his knee injury was (or wasn't), it will no longer be seen as a reason to explain away his loss of form in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign.

Certainly, the Canucks will be hoping and indeed need Pettersson to return to his form of 2022-23 and the first half of 2023-24, if they are to continue growing as a contender. Particularly when you realise this will be just the first season of eight, where they will be paying him extremely well.

N.B. All facts and figures courtesy of Spotrac

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