Oilers Not Concerned About Connor McDavid Extension Discussions

When the Edmonton Oilers locked up superstar forward Leon Draisaitl with a massive eight-year contract extension worth $14 million annually, fans began to wonder what that could mean for the pending extension of captain Connor McDavid. McDavid, who is widely considered the best player in the NHL, is eligible for an extension on July 1st, 2025 as he enters the final season of his current contract. At just 27 years old, McDavid has found himself in conversation to be one of the greatest players of all time when all is said and done. He recently reached the 1000-point plateau in just 659 games, making him the fourth-fastest player to achieve that milestone. While fans will remain concerned until a new extension is announced, it seems as though nobody within the Oilers’ organization is worried about the extension process, and there seems to be no reason to panic.

In a recent segment of Early Trading on TSN, several insiders spoke about McDavid’s future in Edmonton and how things are shaping up for his extension talks. Pierre Lebrun, a trusted NHL insider, spoke about a conversation he had with Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson, who mentioned the two sides have not yet spoke about an extension past the 2025-26 season. He compares McDavid’s contract situation to that of Draisaitl’s where the player wanted to focus on the season rather than negotiate a new deal and after the season is complete, the two sides can sit down and discuss an extension.

On top of that, Lebrun adds that July 1st isn’t a deadline to get an extension done, but rather when it can be finalized. With all of that in mind, Lebrun finishes by stating an extension will get done at some point. Considering what Draisaitl earned on his new deal, it’s crazy to consider what McDavid could earn on his next contract. Draisaitl is one of the best players in the NHL, but McDavid is going to go down as, arguably, a top three player of all time. This season, he has scored 14 goals and added 30 assists for 44 points through 28 games, and it seems as though he isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. Realistically, we could see McDavid be the first player to earn north of $15 million annually, if not even more.

McDavid Will Become Highest-Paid Player Ever

As the years go on and the league continues to grow, players will slowly earn more and more money on average than they do now. Minimum’s will rise, the salary cap will increase, and the NHL will compete to pay its athletes as much as the other major sports leagues do for their athletes. With that being said, there is no doubt in anyones mind that McDavid will be the the highest-paid player in NHL history, even if it is just temporary. Colorado Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen is among the most elite hockey players in the world and is due for a new contract, and the expectation is he will either match or surpass Draisaitl’s $14 million annual price tag. With that in mind, McDavid could realistically push for $15.75-16 million annually, and nobody would complain.