Oilers announce McDavid extension — two-year deal with no increase in salary cap hit

The 28-year-old held out on the extension longer than many in Edmonton had expected, assuming it was cut and dry that he would remain with the Oilers. While that’s ultimately what he chose to do, there was no shortage of storylines that went so high as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a born and raised Oilers fan, jokingly saying, “We are in a crisis.”

Despite the storylines carrying far and wide in the hockey media world, the Oilers brass never wavered in their concern level. Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson said at the beginning of September they weren’t nervous, and when general manager Stan Bowman was asked last week about the potential of McDavid leaving the organization, he said, “We’re focused on right now.”

That focus paid off, as now McDavid will remain in Edmonton as the team continues to chase a Stanley Cup title with their engine on an extremely team-friendly contract.

McDavid has lived up to the hype of being a generational talent since being drafted first overall by the team in the 2015 draft. He broke into the league, taking it by storm with a rookie season that saw him score 16 goals and 48 points in 45 games — a campaign shortened by a broken collarbone.

It’s not the only significant injury he’s dealt with during his tenure in Edmonton, injured in the final game of the 2018-19 season when he collided knee-first into a post. He completely tore his PCL, his medial and lateral menisci, popliteus muscle, posterior capsule, and a tibial plateau fracture, and didn’t miss any time the following season.

Over his 10 years in Edmonton, McDavid has racked up 361 goals and 1082 points in 712 games, firmly entrenching himself with hockey giants like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and others in terms of his record-breaking talents.

He’s helped carry the Oilers to consecutive Stanley Cup finals berths in each of the last two years, scoring eight goals and 42 points in 2023-24 and seven goals and 33 points in 22 games. His 42 points saw him become the third player to score more than 40 in a single postseason, joining Gretzky and Lemieux, but hoisting Lord Stanley’s Mug has remained elusive, with the Florida Panthers finding ways to win both.

McDavid’s new deal will ensure the Oilers will be able to continue to build around him in the years to come.