Friedman: Connor McDavid to give Oilers clarity on contract ahead of season

As Connor McDavid’s contract saga continues, the Edmonton Oilers are expecting some clarity on his contract situation before the start of the season on Wednesday, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Friedman spoke about the situation and what he anticipates may happen between the two parties over the next two days on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.

“Reading the tea leaves here, I do think that McDavid wants to give the Oilers clarity before the season begins by either signing or explaining why specifically he wouldn’t sign,” said Friedman. “So I think we’re gonna have an idea, one way or another, in the next day or two.”

McDavid is entering the final year of his eight-year contract with a $12.5 million cap hit and is eligible to hit the unrestricted free agent market at the end of the season. While many expected him to sign an extension shortly after he was eligible to on July 1st, he has been hesitant to commit to an extension right away, and the Oilers may finally truly know why in the next couple of days.

Some speculate that the main reason McDavid won’t commit to an extension right now is the lack of certainty surrounding the Oilers’ cup contention in the future. Not only are there questions regarding the Oilers’ goaltenders and whether they can do the job for Edmonton right now, but there are also concerns about how good the team will be in 4-5 years, especially when Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ contracts run out.

However, Friedman reports that one element that might not impact his new contract decision is the recent extension to Kirill Kaprizov, who signed with a $17 million cap hit for eight years.

“I think if he does (sign), it’ll be short-term”, said Friedman. “I’m not even convinced it’s gonna be as long as four years, if he signs. I think it could be less than that. And as I’ve been saying all the way along, I think it’s going to be lower than many people expect, below $16 (million), if he signs. I would be surprised if it’s close to that.”

Another element of his contract is working around the other contracts in the Oilers’ system. With this year being the first of four seasons where they have cap hits of $14 million for Leon Draisaitl, $10.5 million for Evan Bouchard, and $9.25 million for Darnell Nurse, Friedman reports that McDavid recognizes that he has to work around that and can’t go too high on his AAV, as winning is his top priority with his new contract.

“There’s a limit of what he can do with all of those other numbers, and I absolutely believe that that has been a factor in whatever conversations he’s having,” Friedman said.

However, despite fanbases of other teams already making plans for his arrival next season, particularly from McDavid’s boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Friedman reports that it’s extremely likely that McDavid re-signs with the Oilers, but it just may not be for as long as many thought before the start of the summer.

“I think there’s a real loyalty there to the players that either he’s grown up with, the Draisaitls, the Nugent-Hopkins, the Nurses, or the players who have come that he has grown to have a great relationship with, the Ekholms and the Hymans, and that’s why I believe he’s going to sign,” Friedman said.

The Oilers kick off their season on Wednesday when they host the Calgary Flames at 8 PM MST.