Projecting Artemi Panarin's next contract

With every game that passes, Artemi Panarin continues to prove his worth to the Chicago Blackhawks. The problem is, some serious work will need to be done to fit the soon-to-be restricted free agent under the salary cap.

Here are some things to consider ahead of his next contract:

The Bread Man giveth

With an assist in Tuesday's loss to Winnipeg, Panarin extended his point streak to eight games, boosting his exceptional career numbers to date.

Since joining the Blackhawks in 2015-16, Panarin - who's since been dubbed "Bread Man" - sits in a tie for seventh among all players in points per game during that span.

In terms of total production, Panarin's 114 points put him in a tie with Karlsson for fourth, behind only Kane, Crosby and Benn, and his performance as a rookie earned him the 2016 Calder Trophy.

The fact that the 25-year-old has yet to miss a game due to injury or otherwise gives him a higher total, but drops him down average-wise in relation to the truly elite.

What's he worth?

Two names that jump out from the list as comparables for Panarin's next contract are Vladimir Tarasenko and Johnny Gaudreau, both of whom signed long-term extensions as pending restricted free agents.

Back in July 2015, Tarasenko signed an eight-year deal with St. Louis worth $60 million, carrying a cap hit of $7.5 million. Gaudreau's deal came in at six years and $40.5 million - a $6.75-million cap hit.

Again, Panarin shares a points-per-game average with these two star players, but has outperformed them in total points, and is two years older, meaning he's in his prime.

Panarin's age adds an interesting wrinkle, according to Craig Custance of ESPN:

According to section 10.1 of the CBA, and confirmed by multiple sources, Panarin is two seasons away from becoming an unrestricted free agent, which would be heading into the 2019-20 season. So, an eight-year deal that kicks in next season buys out six years of unrestricted free agency compared to, say, the one year of unrestricted free agency the Gaudreau deal bought the Flames. The Tarasenko deal, even at eight years, only bought out four years of unrestricted free agency.

A deal similar to Tarasenko's is certainly a fair ask for Panarin, and even that might be on the low end. It should also be noted that at his age, and based on his track record, a team-friendly bridge contract seems unlikely.

What can Chicago afford?

In order for Panarin to remain with the Blackhawks - which he said he wants - he's probably not going to make Tarasenko money, falling closer in line with Gaudreau.

Chicago, of course, has several big-ticket contracts on the books, and general manager Stan Bowman has had to jettison several players in recent years to keep the core intact.

At present, according to Cap Friendly, the Blackhawks are $418,830 under the cap ceiling, and owe both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane $10.5 million annually through 2023. On top of that, Corey Crawford, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Marian Hossa, and Artem Anisimov are all under contracts greater than $4 million per year, with none of these deals expiring until 2019.

Chicago will have several free agents to re-sign or part ways with at season's end, but among that group, Brian Campbell's $1.5-million deal is the greatest, meaning cap space won't come without moving one of the players mentioned above.

So what's the deal?

All things considered, Panarin appears in line to sign a six-to-eight-year contract worth an annual average salary of approximately $7 million - a deal that would make him the Blackhawks' third-highest-paid player.

But again, in order for that to happen, one of the eight players mentioned above will likely have to be traded, with Seabrook and Crawford standing out as the more likely candidates.

An X-factor is the possibility of an offer sheet, which Panarin would be within his rights to sign if he really wants to cash in.

As a refresher, here's what the compensation looked like based on 2015-16 average salaries:

• $5,478,986 to $7,305,316: First-, second-, and third-round pick
• $7,305,316 to $9,131,645: Two first-round picks and a second- and third-round pick.
• $9,131,645 and above: Four first-round picks

A team desperate for star power could sign him to a deal Chicago would be hard-pressed to match, but at the risk of losing significant draft assets.

If Panarin continues to shine - and there's no reason to believe he won't - his contract situation will be one of the more fascinating stories in 2017.