Florida Panthers Wisely Extend Budding Star Center Nick Bjugstad for 6 Years

The Florida Panthers are in the midst of a great 2014-15 season in which Nick Bjugstad has been at the forefront. Shortly after a 2-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens, it was announced by Miami Herald Panthers beat writer George Richards that Bjugstad inked a six-year extension worth $24.6 million.

The deal was signed between the first and second periods of Tuesday's loss vs. Montreal, and Bjugstad will make $4.1 million a season starting in 2015-16.

The former Minnesota Golden Gopher standout has 60 points in 121 career games, but this is a great signing that mutually benefits the parties involved.

The sophomore center leads the Panthers in scoring with 13 goals and 21 points in 34 games after recording 38 points in 76 games last season.  If he continues his pace, the 22-year-old will finish with 31 goals and 51 points in his second professional season. Here is a look, via Sporting Charts, of where Bjugstad is scoring his goals.

The goal totals and areas of success are pretty solid, and the deal can only continue to look better and better.

A shooting percentage of just about 14 percent is solid—and attainable. Tyler Seguin and Rick Nash on the other hand have a shooting percentage in the 20s, and that is something harder to repeat. Scoring one goal on every five or so shots is tough, but Bjugstad shouldn't have the same difficulty or pressure.

It also helps that he is scoring in the slot around the net and not just fluke garbage goals. He has a few of those, but who doesn't?

Right now, the Panthers offense is flowing through the hands of Bjugstad, and he is making a name for himself with his goal-scoring. This is no different than what he accomplished in college, as Bjugstad finished with 54 goals in 109 collegiate contests.

The Panthers power center has an enviable frame at 6'6" and 218 pounds, and it allows him to protect the puck with ease. He probably is one of the strongest players in the league, and if people call Joe Thornton "Jumbo" at 6'4" and 220 pounds, what does that make Bjugstad?

It makes him a behemoth, and a talented one at that. Ultimately, some may feel that a salary of $4.1 million a year is too much too soon for a player who, in the grand scheme of things, is unproven. While this may be the case, the deal makes sense for a number of reasons.

First, the deal is structured in a way in which the Panthers pay Bjugstad for his remaining restricted free-agent years and his first two unrestricted years. When you factor in that the salary cap will progressively rise during the length of the deal, it makes sense that the Panthers incentivized Bjugstad to waive years of negotiation and arbitration.

Based on how Bjugstad is playing now and trending, there is no doubt he would have commanded $5 million a year at some point in the near future. There is always the chance for regression, but ultimately, the risk is low.

No one is saying Bjugstad will be the next Thornton, and no one is saying he will become Nik Antropov. However, the fact remains that it makes a ton of sense to lock up a homegrown, fan-favorite center with immense size, reliability in all three zones and a solid goal-scoring acumen.

It has been a decade since the Panthers had exciting talent like Nathan Horton, Stephen Weiss and Pavel Bure, and the trio of Bjugstad, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov has promise to be the next wave of top Panther talent.

The comeback Cats are building something in Sunrise, and the ownership group clearly wants to build around the youth. Inking Bjugstad to a long-term deal is the right step for a franchise looking to sustain success and gain legitimacy in the process.

Stats via Hockey-Reference.