Bedard's Ink Dries, But the Contract Wars Are Just Beginning

With Bedard's deal finally signed, the NHL's salary cap landscape just shifted in ways that will ripple through front offices for years. The precedent set by this contract will influence how teams approach their next generation of star players and what they're willing to pay. Other young superstars watching from the sidelines are taking notes, and general managers know the market just moved in a direction that could reshape their cap flexibility.