NHL Expert Proposes Innovative Contract Approach for Connor McDavid under Revised CBA Rules” | Times of India NHL News

The Edmonton Oilers are at a crucial juncture with NHL superstar, Connor McDavid, following another disheartening loss in the Stanley Cup Final. The franchise is under pressure to ensure the long-term services of its captain. McDavid’s current eight-year, $100 million contract, which was signed in 2017, runs through the 2025-26 season with a $12.5 million average annual value. Upon its expiry, he will turn into an unrestricted free agent.

An NHL analyst has suggested a deviation from the conventional single long-term extension, proposing instead a calculated two-step approach. The first step proposes McDavid signing a one-year extension in August 2026 for the 2026-27 season worth $14.6 million AAV, commensurate with the projected NHL salary cap of $104 million at the time. The second step entails McDavid signing a three-year extension in January 2027 when the cap is foreseen to rise to $113 million.

This strategy would align McDavid’s earnings with the cap’s upward trajectory and provide the Oilers with more room to bolster the roster in the short term. It benefits from the CBA rule that permits a player’s salary to reach up to 20% of the league cap. Accordingly, McDavid’s contract could potentially touch the unprecedented figure of $20 million annually.

If this two-phase plan comes to fruition, McDavid stands to earn around $65.6 million over four seasons, averaging $16.4 million per year. Such earnings would supersede even those of Auston Matthews who currently leads the league with a $13.25 million AAV.

McDavid, who has been the face of the Oilers and one of the hockey’s most dominant players since being drafted first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, has scored 361 goals, provided 721 assists and recorded an impressive 1,082 points. Securing his future will be the Oilers’ most critical off-ice challenge in the years ahead. This inventive contract strategy may offer the precise balance between rewarding the best player in the game adequately and ensuring the team has the flexibility to win the Stanley Cup that has so far eluded them.