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Carolina Hurricanes: What Jeff Skinner’s New Contract Means for Sebastian Aho

By Joshua Ryan

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 16: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes controls the puck away from Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on March 16, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 16: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes controls the puck away from Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on March 16, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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ST. PAUL, MN – APRIL 04: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner (53) and right wing Sebastian Aho (20) look on before the start of the game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Minnesota Wild on April 4, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Hurricanes 5-3. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – APRIL 04: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner (53) and right wing Sebastian Aho (20) look on before the start of the game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Minnesota Wild on April 4, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Hurricanes 5-3. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Most Likely Outcome

Skinner’s eventual payday does bode well for Aho in negotiation’s; he is obviously younger, more well-rounded, and has put up better statistical numbers in almost every category in his first three seasons as compared to Skinner.

This negates to even consider that Aho’s 2019 season saw him score 20 more points, and lead his team in scoring over the course of a playoff run that ended in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Two questions stand-out: is Skinner getting over paid? And has Aho proven that he can be a McKinnon level difference maker as he continues to develop under Rod Brind’Amour, or will he still need a superior talent to help this team truly capture immortality?

The Skinner contract has, more-or-less, set the market for this off-seasons free-agent class. Aho will undoubtedly enter negotiations looking for a $9 million salary, but Waddell has been doing this long enough to know the risks involved with making that kind of move.

I believe the compromise is somewhere between $7.7 and $8.2 million over 7 years. Aho has proven he can carry the offensive load, and he has thrived while learning to play a position that he hasn’t manned since his days in Junior. The deal is reminiscent of David Pastranak’s 2017 contract, only longer and with more annual salary considering Boston’s 88 didn’t reach 80 points until after that deal was signed.

With the Hurricanes landing Aho at this price, it makes him, rightfully, the team’s highest paid player, and their only contract over $6 Million a year. There is still plenty of cap space to continue to pursue great talent, while also putting the chips in on Seabass to take that next step.

Skinner’s contract is too high a price to pay for a winger who’s inconsistent at his primary strength, those are traits that Aho has transcended in his third professional season. Eventually, with some perspective in three or four years, this deal could even be viewed as an absolute steal.

Trending. Carolina Hurricanes: Season Grades Part 1. light

Question for CC readers: Should Aho eclipse the $8 Million a Year mark?

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