Paul Bissonnette in disbelief as Connor McDavid makes less than NBA coach Erik Spoelstra, suggests radical changes to NHL cap structure

Former NHL player turned media personality Paul Bissonnette took to Twitter to express his disbelief at the apparent salary disparity between Edmonton Oilers star player Connor McDavid and NBA coach Erik Spoelstra. Bissonnette's reaction was prompted by the announcement on ESPN that Spoelstra had signed a contract extension worth over $120 million for eight years, marking it as the most lucrative coaching deal in the history of the NBA.

Bissonnette, known for his candid and often humorous takes on the hockey world, used this opportunity to highlight what he perceived as a significant gap in earnings between top NHL players and other major professional sports leagues.

In a tweet, he questioned the logic behind NBA coaches earning more than a player of Connor McDavid's caliber and proposed a radical change to the NHL's salary cap structure:

"NBA coaches making more than McDavid. I think it’s time for a franchise tag in hockey. Doesn’t count against the cap. 1 guy per team. Make the franchise tags 5 years max and cap it at a certain amount. Maybe 20 million to start?

"Not that crazy for what Matthews does for the Maple Leafs brand year in year out. But he’s the bad guy for taking 13 sheets."

The proposed system would allow each team to designate one player as a franchise tag, enabling them to offer a contract that doesn't count against the team's salary cap. To maintain financial parity among teams, Bissonnette suggests imposing a maximum salary limit, initially set at $20 million, and a maximum contract length of five years.

The core argument behind Bissonnette's proposal lies in the belief that elite players,such as Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews contribute significantly to their team's success both on and off the ice. By implementing a franchise tag, the NHL could potentially create a compensation structure that better reflects the impact these players have on their respective team's brands.

Connor McDavid led the Oilers to an eighth consecutive win

The Edmonton Oilers secured their eighth consecutive victory with a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, maintaining their winning streak that began on Dec. 21. Connor McDavid's breakaway goal and Leon Draisaitl's 19th of the season contributed to the triumph.

Despite two disallowed goals for Edmonton, goaltender Stuart Skinner's 25 saves sealed the win. Jason Dickinson scored Chicago's lone goal, and coach Luke Richardson praised his team's work ethic.

The injury-hit Blackhawks welcomed back forwards Taylor Raddysh and Joey Anderson, but star rookie Connor Bedard remains sidelined with a broken jaw, with no set return date.