The parity in the NHL standings has never been greater, the by-product of a salary cap system that’s fully flexed its muscle 15 years out.



What little separation can be gained between a shrinking talent gap among the NHL’s 31 teams — soon to be 32 — is based to some degree on a very traditional tool: drafting and developing. That much is obvious.



But no matter how well you draft and develop, you can’t keep everybody under the salary cap rules. But there are other weapons at a team’s disposal that can help them gain an edge in the system, and a massive one can be found at the negotiating table. If a team can sign a player to a long-term contract at a bargain price, it allows the organization to plug other holes with those savings.



As such, I’ve compiled my list of the contracts that offer the best value in the NHL.



Only contracts that have term past this season were considered meaning Roman Josi’s...