By Eric Jackson
Sports Business Reporter
Connor McDavid isn’t going anywhere.
The Edmonton Oilers star, who was set to be an unrestricted free agent next year, has inked a two-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $12.5 million. McDavid’s extension comes on the eve of the NHL regular season; the captain was set to play on his final year of an eight-year, $100 million deal that he signed back in 2017. McDavid was widely expected to remain with the team that drafted him first overall in 2015.
“Our journey here continues,” McDavid wrote on social media.
The new deal keeps one of the NHL’s best players with the team favored to win the Stanley Cup this season. The Oilers came just shy of winning it all last season, falling to the Florida Panthers in June. It was the team’s second straight loss in the Stanley Cup Finals to Florida.
The $25 million extension provides flexibility for the Oilers to make other major personnel moves in hopes of winning their first title since 1990. McDavid has long stated that winning is his main priority, and the Oilers now have McDavid and star forward Leon Draisaitl (who re-signed last year) together for at least the next three seasons.
While McDavid is considered one of the best players in the world, his contract doesn’t match the eight-year, $136 million ($17M AAV) deal that Minnesota Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov signed last week.
McDavid, a four-time NHL First Team All-Star who has endorsement deals with brands like Adidas and BioSteel, is already setting up to potentially be the most sought-after free agent in 2028. The three-time Hart Trophy winner could also reap the benefits of a rising salary cap, as the cap is set to jump 28% over the next three years to $113.5 million.
The Oilers’ regular season is set to begin on Wednesday with the “Battle of Alberta” rivalry match against the Calgary Flames.
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