Contract negotiations are always tricky, especially in the age of social media when within seconds of any contract announcement, there are people trying to determine who’s a winner and who’s a loser.
Unlike NHL games that end in regulation, NHL contracts aren’t black-or-white. Just because one side is a winner, it doesn’t mean the other is a loser.
The first reaction for this contract is that the Montreal Canadiens are a big winner. They locked in what they hope will be their top centre for the maximum term, eight years. They do so at a cap hit that is likely a little high for what he has been, but what they hope is a bargain for what he will become.