from Travis Yost of TSN,

Players, agents and general managers have caught on quickly to the benefits of the 'signing bonus heavy' contract – a type of salary structure that allows the player to take the majority of his salary in the form of one cheque at the beginning of every year.

While these players' cap hits will look the same regardless of how they receive payment, there are two very particular caveats to the signing bonus heavy contract. One, they’re what many consider 'buyout proof.' Buyouts are calculated by taking two-thirds of the remaining salary owed (which does not include signing bonuses), then spreading that number over twice the remaining contract length. Maple Leaf fans came to understand the pain that this can cause a front office under the David Clarkson contract, which was one of many deals laced with signing bonus money.

Two - signing bonus money is guaranteed. And rest assured, that message has been put in the back of every player's mind by every agent worth his salt.

The NHL is set for another round of labour negotiations soon - perhaps sooner than many realize. September of 2019 is essentially a drop-dead date for both the NHL and NHL Players' Association, either of whom can 'opt out' of the current collective bargaining agreement. (And it will almost certainly happen as we're already listening to early grievances on, among other things, redefining 'hockey-related revenue'). And when it does happen, the clock will begin ticking on the life of the 2020-21 season.

On that point: If you've been keeping a close eye to the timing of the payouts on these signing bonus heavy contracts, you know that the players and their agents have staggered payments in a very peculiar way.

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