How does Leon Draisaitl’s extension with Oilers affect Connor McDavid?

While most are asking themselves how Edmonton can fit two giant cap hits of $14M and up under the cap and build a competitive team around them, Oilers GM Stan Bowman doesn’t seem to be too concerned, and neither does Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

“The one thing I really believe strongly is this wasn’t a one-person negotiation,” Friedman told Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “This wasn’t them negotiating Draisaitl in a vacuum. There’s no way Draisaitl commits to this without a conversation with McDavid about what he’s thinking. … I have no doubt McDavid and Draisaitl did this together and it’s a very good omen for McDavid and the Oilers.”

McDavid’s contract is up after 2025-26 season, as are those of Evander Kane, Viktor Arvidsson, Adam Henrique and Mattias Ekholm.

The likelihood Edmonton can re-sign more than one of them after McDavid’s new deal is highly unlikely. 

The Oilers will also have to pay star defenseman Evan Bouchard next offseason. Early estimates are that he’ll command a salary in the $9-10M range annually, so the Oilers could be looking at the very real possibility two years from now that three players could account for 45 percent or more of their cap space.

If that’s the case, the Oilers roster in 2026 and beyond could consist of McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard and a host of prospects and younger veterans playing on cheap, one-year contracts or for league-minimum salaries.