The athletic hates it:
Defenseman Ivan Provorov signs a seven-year deal, worth $8.5 million in average annual value, with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Uhhhhhhhhhh.
Honestly, the contract grade could end there; it’s hard to find a more apt feeling than complete and utter confusion. On paper, Provorov’s new contract is one of the most baffling contracts in recent memory and it feels almost impossible to spin this in any positive light. For almost any team this would be a back-breaking deal that would be difficult to make up for with other savvy bets. This is an immediate albatross that Provorov will have an extremely difficult time living up to.