The NHL’s New Problem: Depth Players Are Getting Expensive

Here’s a sentence from the comment section that deserves to escape the comment section: “Depth players just got more expensive.” It referred to the Boston Bruins signing Fraser Minten to a long-term contract.

That’s actually a pretty big hockey story. Not because one particular player signed a big contract. Contracts come and go. Somebody is always getting paid more than somebody else thinks he should. The bigger issue is what happens when the middle of an NHL roster starts becoming expensive.

Every NHL Team Wants More Depth

Every contender talks about depth. It sounds wonderful. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka spent a good part of the off-season bringing in strong depth forwards. Some fans complained about the cost. However, the organization saw it as a necessary step in improving the team.

You want a strong top line, another good scoring line, a reliable third line, a fourth line that can play, six defencemen you trust and a couple of goalies who won’t make everybody nervous. Then you look at the salary cap. That costs money.

And this is where NHL rosters have become increasingly difficult to construct. The best players are obviously expensive. That’s nothing new. What’s changing is the price of the players who aren’t supposed to be the stars.

A third-line centre isn’t necessarily being paid to score 80 points anymore. He’s being paid because he can win draws, kill penalties, play against good players, survive playoff hockey and give the coach somebody he trusts. Those things have value. And when enough teams want the same type of player, the price goes up.

The Hidden Cost of Becoming an NHL Contender

This may actually be one reason the Montreal Canadiens’ contract strategy is so interesting. If the Canadiens have their important young players signed to reasonable long-term deals, they can spend more of their available money on the players who don’t show up at the top of the scoring list.

That’s the part fans sometimes miss. A Stanley Cup roster isn’t 12 stars. It’s a collection of different players with different jobs. Some score. Some defend. Some kill penalties. Some provide size. Some win faceoffs. Some can move up the lineup when injuries hit.

And some simply make a coach feel comfortable putting them on the ice with two minutes left in a playoff game. Those players aren’t cheap anymore.