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Hurricanes sign building block Elias Lindholm to two-year $5.4M extension

Hurricanes sign building block Elias Lindholm to two-year $5.4M extension

The Carolina Hurricanes have liked what they’ve seen the last two years from 2013 first round pick Elias Lindholm. Enough to give him a contract extension and a raise without the luxury of seeing him play the third year of his entry-level contract.

Lindholm will make $2.5 million and $2.9 million in 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively. Good deal for the Hurricanes? Try great deal – considering Lindholm’s upward point trajectory.

The 20-year-old center had 39 points in 81 games last season for Carolina. According to the NHL’s enhanced stats, Lindholm’s SAT Rel% was at plus-1.2, which meant his team possessed the puck more when he was on the ice than when he was off the ice.

His 60 points in 139 games is tied for third most amongst 2013 draftees. Remember, that class was supposed to rival the 2003 draft for its overall depth. Lindholm was picked fifth overall.

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“Elias played well last season, nearly doubling his offensive numbers from his rookie year,” general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. “We expect he will be a very important part of the Hurricanes as he continues to develop as a professional.”

Lindholm is really the first big name of the 2013 class to sign a contract extension. Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov and Seth Jones are all slated to be restricted free agents next summer.

Does this Lindholm deal set the market for them? Not really just because the contract is based off two years of work, not three. Imagine if either three of those players have monster years? Then we’re talking much larger deals – maybe even Brandon Saad money? If he could get that type of raise off an entry-level contract ($894,166 per-year to $6 million per-year) why can’t MacKinnon, Jones or Barkov?

Also, with captain Eric Staal set to be an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Canes possibly see the young Swede as a Staal replacement? There's definitely been an interesting waiting game between Staal and the Hurricanes with his contract primed to be a distraction for this upcoming season. There's also that Carolina ownership issue looming over the team. 

Clearly Lindholm saw the opportunity for a raise and took it. Plus, if he continues to develop his next contract, which isn’t that far away anyway, will be much larger. Overall great value for the Hurricanes and a nice raise for Lindholm.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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