Corrado projects AAV for players on TSN's updated Top 50 UFAs List

What are a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy worth on the open market?

We may not find out.

Not after hearing Panther players and fans chanting “eight more years” for Sam Bennett one day after Florida won its second straight Cup on Tuesday.

And Bennett responding, in a celebratory moment another day later, “I’m not f--king leaving.”

Take that for what it’s worth.

What we may learn, however, is how much a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe runner-up status is worth.

Brad Marchand finished second to Bennett in voting for playoff MVP honours.

The two postseason difference-makers split 18 first-place votes: 11 for Bennett and seven for Marchand.

Conventional wisdom is that Bennett could collect $9 to $10 million (U.S.) a year if he were willing to leave the State of Hockey.

It’s surmised he would need to fit somewhere between Carter Verhaeghe’s 8 x $7 million and Sam Reinhart’s 8 x $8.6 million to remain with the Panthers.

This week, TSN’s Frankie Corrado is projecting annual average values (AAV) for all players on our Free Agent Frenzy Top 50 list and he’s predicting an $8.3-million deal for Bennett with Florida.

Implied is that it would be an eight-year contract.

TSN is not projecting contract length, focussing on AAV only.

Corrado reaches AAV projections by blending subjective information gleaned from TSN industry sources with objective data obtained from analytic companies AFP, Evolving Hockey, and ScotiaStat.

TSN is projecting Marchand – a longer shot to re-up with the Panthers – will sign for $8.1 million a year. Among the teams believed to have strong interest in the two-time Cup champion are Florida, Toronto, and his former club, Boston.

No. 1 free agent Mitch Marner is projected to sign for $13 million per year.

Suitors for his services could include the likes of Vegas, Los Angeles and Dallas – as well as a host of other teams anxious to add a 100-point scorer.