You have to believe us when we say that we’re not writing about this topic just because Drew O’Connor put a bow on the Vancouver Canucks’ 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.

But obviously, that certainly didn’t hurt.

The biggest reason for us writing this today is that, if the Canucks‘ handling of Marcus Pettersson is any indication, there’s reason to believe that they’d also like to get O’Connor signed in short order as well.

The Canucks moved quickly to acquire Pettersson and O’Connor from the Pittsburgh Penguins, just hours after pulling the trigger on the deal that sent JT Miller to the New York Rangers. In fact, the Canucks used the first round pick they got in the trade with the Rangers as the main trade chip in the deal with the Penguins to bring O’Connor and Pettersson to Vancouver.

And of course, both Pettersson and O’Connor are in the final year of their current contracts, with both players set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. With where the Canucks are in the standings, it was clear that they weren’t acquiring these players to be rentals, unlike their strategy last season, when they went out and got Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov before both players ultimately walked in free agency.

In fact, GM Patrik Allvin called it a “priority” to get Pettersson signed just a day after the trade was made. The Canucks signed Pettersson to a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.5 million earlier this week, and are presumably now shifting their focus to O’Connor. So what will an extension with O’Connor look like?

Conveniently enough for the Canucks, they have a comparable for Drew O’Connor in house: Kiefer Sherwood.

Sherwood was coming off a season with the Nashville Predators in which he tallied 10 goals and 17 assists through 68 games. The Canucks signed Sherwood to a two-year deal worth $1.5 million annually in free agency after that level of production. O’Connor has similar production to that, but he is younger than Sherwood, and that’s going to play a part in all this.

With the NHL salary cap set to rise over the next three seasons, it becomes important to use percentages rather than numbers on past contracts that were signed before the cap increase was announced as a way to ballpark future deals. This season, Sherwood’s contract takes up 1.70% of the Canucks’ total payroll.

Now, with a $95.5 million salary cap next season, a $104 million upper limit in 26-27, and $113.5 million in 2027-28, it’s reasonable to expect O’Connor’s camp to come in asking for a cap hit that at least starts with a two.

With reports that there was plenty of interest in O’Connor before the Canucks acquired him, there’s reason to believe that if he hits free agency, a bidding war of sorts could materialize. A low bidding war, but a bidding war nonetheless.

AFP Analytics has O’Connor’s cap hit coming in the $2.5-3 million range on a three-year deal, and while that’s a fine contract and by far not the worst way a team could spend its money, it does seem like O’Connor’s production as a bottom six winger would warrant a slightly lower cap hit than $3 million.

With a player like Sam Lafferty getting two years at $2 million annually from the Buffalo Sabres just this past offseason (yes we know about the Buffalo tax), it really wouldn’t be crazy for O’Connor’s camp to come in asking for $3 million.

Ultimately, while his raw totals may warrant a cap percentage closer to Sherwood’s, O’Connor is a younger, faster player that would have plenty of suitors if he hit free agency. Because of that, we’re predicting the two sides “meet in the middle” on a two or three-year deal with a cap hit of $2.5 million annually.

FINAL PREDICTION FOR O’CONNOR EXTENSION: Two years at $2.5 million annually.

What do you think O’Connor’s contract extension will come in at? Let us know in the comments section below!