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NHL Insider Reveals Updated Salaries It Will Take to Sign McDavid, Walman, and Podkolzin

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 6:22 PM ET

NHL insider Jason Gregor revealed the expected, updated salary it will take to sign all three of Connor McDavid, Jake Walman, and Vasily Podkolzin to new deals.

Oilers insider Bob Stauffer reported today that the team may ink contract extensions within the next month with a few of its key players: Connor McDavid, Jake Walman, Mattias Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin, and head coach Kris Knoblauch.

Shortly after that, another insider, Jason Gregor, dropped some info on what the salary amounts might be for three of those players: Connor McDavid, Jake Walman, and Vasily Podkolzin.

Jason Gregor estimates McDavid's next contract at $16.4 million per year, which would be the same percentage of the cap as his current deal.

Like Many Others, Jason Gregor Believes McDavid's Deal Will be a Short-Term One

He expects a three or four-year term, although he noted that McDavid has the bargaining power to get more money or a longer term if he desires.

'We have McDavid at $16.4m, the same percentage of cap as his existing deal, but we have his term at three or four years. Of course, it is McDavid and if he wants more money or term, I'm sure he will get it.'
- Jason Gregor

For Walman, Gregor anticipates a five-year contract in the neighborhood of $6.5 million annually after his impressive playoff performance, using Winnipeg's Neal Pionk as a comparable.

'His is a fun one. He had a great playoffs. We have him at five years at $6.5m. A close comparable is Neal Pionk.'
- Jason Gregor

Podkolzin, an RFA to be, should fall in the range of $2.3 to $2.4 million per year, a similar range to the Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov.

'We see Podkolzin in a similar spot as Tsyplakov with the Islanders coming in around $2.3 to $2.4m.'
- Jason Gregor

This is the initial wave of serious extension chatter since the Oilers' playoff run ended, and not unexpectedly, McDavid's future is leading the discussion.

With him heading into the final year of his eight-year, $100 million contract, the Oilers are going to need to strike a fine balance, rewarding their generational star while giving themselves sufficient cap space to keep the core intact.

Walman, 29, is on a $3.4-million contract, and Podkolzin, 24, earned $1 million last season.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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