Bang For Your Buck: 10 NHLers excelling on league minimum contracts

It’s fun giving credit to the little guy.

In January, we looked at five of the best-value players from the NHL’s 2023 UFA class. When a team gets production from a player making under a million, it’s easy to get excited. With teams looking to use every dollar at their disposal, having an inexpensive player come in and make an impact is huge – especially on Cup contenders.

Today, we’re looking at players producing while on league-minimum contracts. Currently, the minimum contract is for $775,000, with some players holding lower cap hits from signing before the hit went up to what it is today. To qualify for this list, the player had to play 30 GP or more and not currently be on an entry-level contract. Corey Perry meets the 30-game threshold but we’re keeping him out because he played a significant chunk while with Chicago on an AAV worth $4 million per season.

So, here we go, looking at 10 players performing well above his salary:

Michael Amadio, RW, 27 (Vegas Golden Knights)

Contract: Pending UFA, $762,500 AAV

The Golden Knights have done a good job of turning one team’s leftovers into gold. Amadio is making less than league minimum due to when his deal was signed, but he’s been an excellent value depth pickup since coming over from Toronto during the 2021-22 season. He had 16 goals and 27 points in 67 games last year and is set to beat that again this year while currently sitting at 25 points. He came alive during the team’s Stanley Cup run last year, and while he didn’t play every game, he still had five goals and 10 points. He’s a smart winger who can score and outthink players in tight spots, and at his cost, he’s been more than worth it for Vegas.

Paul Cotter, LW, 23 (Vegas Golden Knights)

Contract: Two more years at $775,000 AAV

Cotter received some significant attention for his early season play. He has quieted down a bit, but with 22 points in 65 games, it’s been a good year for the 23-year-old, taken 115th overall in 2018. He’s a good transition player who can be versatile and set guys up, but you’re not expecting huge numbers from him. But at a league minimum deal until 2026, this is a win of a deal for the Golden Knights – and he’s only really just getting started.

Logan Thompson, G, 27 (Vegas Golden Knights)

Contract: One more year at $766,667 AAV

It was hard to imagine the road Thomson would take after signing a three-year, league-minimum contract in 2022. He found himself as Vegas’ starting goalie last year before an injury took him out of the second half of the season, with Adin Hill taking over for the palyoffs. Hill is still the No. 1, but Thompson has played some good hockey again this year, albeit not as strong as he was last year. But given how Vegas’ goalie situation looked doomed when Robin Lehner’s injury arose, it’s been good to see Thompson – who took the unusual route of going from USports to the NHL just a few years later – play so well at an inexpensive rate.

Danton Heinen, LW, 27 (Boston Bruins)

Contract: Pending UFA, $775,000 AAV

If you’re going to go all-in to win the Stanley Cup, you have to find ways to cut costs somewhere. The Bruins brought back Heinen this year for a second tour of duty after stints in Anaheim and Pittsburgh. It was in Boston that he put up a career-high 47 points in 77 games back in 2017-18, and he looked good during the team’s Cup push in 2019. He is once again proving to be a great secondary offensive force for Boston, scoring 13 goals and 28 points through 62 games. He’s on pace for his fourth 30-plus point season – not too shabby for a guy making his money.

Darren Raddysh, D, 27 (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Contract: One more year at $762,500 AAV

It took him a while to become a full-time NHLer – about five years after signing his first NHL contract and seven years after finishing his junior career with the Erie Otters. But nobody likely saw Raddysh performing as proficiently as he has. After getting a 17-game trial run with the Bolts last year, he has spent the entire season with the big club this year, registering 28 points so far. He’s on pace for over 30 points, which would be remarkable for someone who was a tweener for so long. So much of Tampa Bay’s success over the past few years has been finding gems – Raddysh has looked good so far.

Stefan Noesen, LW, 31 (Carolina Hurricanes)

Contract: Pending UFA, $762,500 AAV

Once a goal-scorer in the OHL, he emerged as more of a physical, depth option once he turned pro. But after years of mainly toiling around in the AHL, Noesen found a home with Carolina last year and has become a valuable piece of the team’s puzzle. He had 36 points in 78 games in 2022-23 and is set to crack the 40-point mark for the first time ever this time around. Noesen is shooting at 15.6 percent, which insane since he’s averaging just 11:51 a game, but he continues to be a valuable piece for the Hurricanes.

Bobby McMann, RW, 27 (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Contract: Final year at $775,000 AAV, new extension kicks in for 2024-25

McMann’s numbers won’t blow you away, but with 11 goals and 19 points in 44 games, he’s been an excellent depth piece for Toronto. For someone who had to prove themselves in the ECHL just a few years back to playing top-six at times with Toronto is a great story in itself. But then you add in a hat trick against St. Louis last month and some great, hard-working efforts, and you see someone who’s thriving right now. Consistency is an issue, but given he had to overcome injuries and a stint in the AHL to get to this point this year, it’s been a great season for someone who’ll see his salary double next season as he kicks off a new two-year deal.

Michael Carcone, LW, 27 (Arizona Coyotes)

Contract: One more year at $775,000 AAV

Carcone toiled around in the AHL for most of his career since turning pro in 2016. But after putting up outstanding numbers with Tuscon last year – and then playing a big part in Canada’s gold medal run at the World Championship – it seemed like something finally clicked for the small forward. He’s a goal away from 20 in his first full NHL campaign and should bypass the 30-point barrier, which is great as a middle-six scoring threat on a non-playoff team, given Carcone’s path to date. Given his cost – and for another year, to boot – he’s been an excellent find for the Coyotes.

Egor Zamula, D, 23 (Philadelphia Flyers)

Contract: Pending RFA with arbitration rights, $775,000 AAV

With Sean Walker out of the picture, Zamula has taken on a bigger role with the club, playing between 18-22 minutes since March 7. The fourth-year pro is in his first full season with the Flyers, and he should crack the 20 point mark despite missing some time due to illness and some trips to the press box. Zamula’s biggest value is in his own zone, but it’s good to see the young defender thriving after signing a one-year “prove it” deal last spring.

Cole Smith, RW, 27 (Nashville Predators)

Contract: Final year at $775,000 AAV, new extension kicks in for 2024-25

One of Nashville’s reasons for success is everyone giving it their all. Currently in his second full NHL campaign, Smith has 22 points in 68 games while still showing his physical edge. Most times, when you snag an undrafted UFA out of college – as the Preds did once he finished his college career in 2020 – you’re hoping to get someone who can become an everyday NHLer, even as a depth option. Smith’s energy and hard work ethic have come up clutch on occasion this year, and that’s why he’s set to make $1 million in each of the next two seasons on a new deal.