Over the next few weeks, we will be releasing salary cap charts and information for NHL teams under the unofficial name, “WAR Off Ice”.  Leading up to the full release, we’ll post important contract news to the WAR On Ice blog.

We’re pleased to release early information on two player contracts today.  First, the widely reported contract terms for Patrice Bergeron are incorrect, according to two verified, high level sources.  Additionally, we have what were (to our knowledge) previously unreleased details on the structure of Marc Staal’s contract.

In Bergeron’s case, the average annual value (AAV) of his contract ($6.875M) is higher than what has been publicly reported to-date ($6.5M).  Staal’s AAV is $5.7M, same as previously reported.

Bergeron

Before today, it was publicly believed that Bergeron and the Bruins agreed to an 8 year, $52M contract ($6.5M AAV).  However, our sources have confirmed that they actually agreed to an 8 year, $55M contract ($6.875M AAV), structured as follows:

• Years 1-4:  $8.750M salary, $0.0M bonus
• Year 5:  $0.875M salary, $6.0M bonus
• Year 6:  $0.875M salary, $3.5M bonus
• Years 7-8:  $3.375M salary, $1.0M bonus

Bergeron will be 36 years old when the contract expires after the 2021-22 season.  We do not know at this time what implications this has for the Bruins’ salary cap situation for the 2014-15 season.

Staal

Below are details on the structure of Marc Staal’s contract with the Rangers, which goes into effect next season and expires after the 2020-21 season: UPDATE: this was reversed originally. Below is now correct.

• Year 1 (2015-16):  $4.0M salary, $3.0M bonus  — $7.0 M total
• Years 2-4 (2016-17 — 2018-19):  $5.0M salary, $1.0M bonus — $6.0 M total/y
• Year 5 (2019-20):  $4.0M salary, $1.0M bonus — $5.0 M total
• Year 6 (2020-21):  $4.0M salary, $3.0M bonus — $4.2 M total

Again, this results in a $5.7M AAV for the Rangers.

All of this information will be available soon on our NHL team salary cap charts site.