Connor McDavid’s pending contract with the Edmonton Oilers is more than just a story about one player’s tough decision and how it will affect him and his family. This is potentially a story about the dominoes that fall after McDavid makes his extension preference clear.
The reality is, while there is no one like the Oilers’ captain, what McDavid chooses to do could reshape the NHL’s free-agent landscape.
The amount of money McDavid ultimately makes as the market drastically changes amid a rising salary cap could send ripples through the NHL. The NHLPA knows that McDavid’s deal — whatever it looks like when it’s finally agreed upon — will impact other high-profile unrestricted free agents waiting to see what the superstar signs for.
‘Absolutely I Want To Stay In Edmonton’: Veteran D-Man On Possible Extension
“Is This Real?” Insider Says McDavid’s Comments Has NHL on Alert
TSN’s Frankie Corrado said on Domino’s That’s Hockey, elite UFAs are going to fall in line after McDavid’s deal is finalized. That means players like Jack Eichel, Martin Necas, and Adrian Kempe could take their cue from McDavid, all knowing they’ll be making a little (or a lot) less than he will.
Players Are Waiting On McDavid, Who Is Taking His Time
Let’s say Eichel wants to sign in Vegas, and he’d prefer to re-up with the Golden Knights sooner rather than later. If he believes he’s worth $14-$15 million per season, he could ask for that, but not necessarily if McDavid takes $15 to stay in Edmonton over the next two or three seasons.
On the other end, and where a player might benefit, Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday:
“Adrian Kempe, entering last year of his contract, just sat down with our media gathering at the NHL Player Media Tour in Vegas. He says there’s no rush from his end or the team on an extension but he feels talks will pick up in the next few weeks or months. Wants to stay in LA.”
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It makes sense there would be no rush. If McDavid signs for $16 million per season, Kempe can get well above $10 or $12 million, suggesting he’s not $4 or $5 million less valuable per season than Edmonton’s superstar.
The rare exception might be Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov. His situation is clear, as he’s aware the Wild can’t afford to lose him, and he’ll get $15 million or more per season on a long-term deal if he asks. Corrado hinted Kaprizov could use his incredible leverage to ask for whatever he’d like, regardless of McDavid’s extension terms.
Is The NHLPA Pressuring McDavid?
Some reports suggest McDavid may also be weighing league-wide implications. The NHLPA, according to insiders, may be quietly applying pressure to McDavid not to take too big a discount. A steep team-friendly deal affects several players, and too big a pay cut could lower salaries for other members. The NHLPA does not want that.
Kurt Leavins of The Edmonton Journal writes:
“On Friday I was speaking with an old colleague of mine who is now in labor law. He commented on the Connor McDavid contract situation and mentioned the “quiet” pressure on 97 from the NHLPA to set the new standard for how players are paid going forward. Connor and his family are truly in a “push and pull” situation in the middle of it all. Take too much, your team has cap issues. Take too little, it sets a different salary precedent for other players. That is a lot of pressure. No wonder he wants to take his time. But I still expect a deal done before Game One of the regular season.”
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If true, it’s a tough spot for McDavid to be in. Perhaps he doesn’t care and will do what he feels is in his best interest. Again, he’s a unicorn. However, what we know from McDavid is that he steps up when the league asks. He’s been instrumental in the All-Star formatting and trying to put the best product on the ice. It would make sense he’d feel an obligation to his fellow star players.
McDavid Says All That Matters Is Winning
Despite these considerations, McDavid’s priority appears to be winning. He is focused on keeping the Oilers competitive, and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said, “The one thing I can absolutely tell you with 100 percent certainty about this summer, is that everybody who was around him feels that the back-to-back Stanley Cup defeats have only made him more hungry to win.”
One social media post read, “He doesn’t care about anyone outside this organization. Money is NOT the issue. It is something more intrinsic.”
NHL Officially Closes LTIR Investigation Into Oilers
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Edmonton Oilers are off the hook for whatever it was the NHL was looking into regarding Evander Kane and the team’s use of LTIR last season.
If winning is the only medicine for what’s ailing McDavid, perhaps what other players want or need, or where the NHLPA lands doesn’t come into play.
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal said, “I don’t see McDavid feeling beholden to the NHLPA. But I can’t read his mind. No one can. As for the NHLPA, more money for one member just means less for another. Not sure ceiling matters in context of hard cap.”
What is clear is that McDavid’s decision is about more than personal gain. With other top-tier UFAs watching closely, his contract could set the ceiling—or at least signal the market—for the NHL’s next wave of superstar deals.
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