With the uncertainty surrounding another potential NHL lockout looming in a few years’ time, NHL players and their agents are making sure they’ll be compensated no matter if there’s a work stoppage or not.

When the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares, the majority of the contract was signed in bonus money: Tavares will be paid $650,000 in base salary with a signing bonus of $15,250,000 in year one of the contract. To summarize, a total of $44 million of the $77 million contract Tavares signed for seven years will be paid in the first three years of the deal, with the majority of that being paid in bonus money (for more on Tavares' contract, hit up Cap Friendly).

Defenceman Drew Doughty was signed by the Kings to an eight-year, $88 million extension with $12 million in the first four years being paid on July 1st in bonus money. For context, Tavares will receive 92% of the money in his first season in bonus money; Doughty will earn 20% of year one's money (2019-20) in bonus money. 

Doughty is the contract comparable to Sens’ superstar Erik Karlsson, who rejected an offer that was reportedly in the neighbourhood of the Doughty deal that pays a total of $11million per season.

According to Chris Stevenson of The Athletic, the offer the Senators made to Karlsson that was close to Doughty’s, but it had one major difference: there was no money in the contract that would be paid up front in the form of bonuses.

From a talent perspective alone, one would expect Karlsson to be receiving a large chunk of money come July 1st for the next few years given that his fellow peers around the league are starting to earn more in bonuses with the growing fear that the third lockout since 2004-05 season could be on the horizon. 

From an ownership perspective, paying Karlsson’s salary over the season instead of a large portion that would likely be eight digits would be less damaging to the overall team budget, and would allow the Sens a more financial flexibility to sign pending UFAs Mark Stone and Matt Duchene.

Last week, it was reported that the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and Tampa Bay Lightning were the front-runners to land Karlsson.

(h/t The Athletic's Chris Stevenson)