The initial expectation from Team USA and the Florida Panthers was that Seth Jones could potentially return before the Olympic break begun, lining him up with a potential trip to Italy to join his teammates. That projection had since changed; as a result, Seth Jones now finds himself on the long-term injured reserve list, which carries a minimum ten-game/twenty-four day absence.
This week, the NHL community saw two young and promising defensemen get paid akin to the NHL elite. But a common issue in this development will be determining if these players are really worth the 9-million-dollar AAV that they have been bestowed by their teams' general managers. While only time will tell if their contracts will age like milk or wine, let's set the stage and examine the current stories of these young men.
LaCombe, 24, signed an eight-year deal that carries a $9 million average annual value, a source told ESPN on Thursday. The contract is the largest ever given out by the Ducks. The extension has the same AAV as the deal defenseman Luke Hughes signed with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, although that was on a seven-year term. LaCombe's new contract will begin in the 2026-27 season and end in 2033-34.