Connor McDavid is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 as the superstar forward will be a free agent on July 1, 2026, and one analyst predicts he will sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
If McDavid reaches the open market, he will be highly sought after by nearly every team as he is the best player in the NHL. Although many expect McDavid to re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers, NHL analyst Adam Wylde disagrees.
Instead, Wylde predicts McDavid will indeed hit free agency and sign a massive deal with his hometown Maple Leafs on a seven-year $126 million deal.
“I’m going to say, Leafs, $18 million (per season). Seven years,” Wylde said on SDPN.
If McDavid does leave Edmonton and sign with Toronto it would be the biggest free agent signing in NHL history. But, in order for the Maple Leafs to have the cap room, they would likely need to let Mitch Marner leave in free agency this year, as well as John Tavares.
But, perhaps if Toronto has an inkling that McDavid is interested in coming to play for the Maple Leafs they make it happen.
McDavid was selected first overall in the 2015 NHL draft. He’s a seven-time NHL All-Star and won MVP in 2017, 2021, and 2023.
McDavid Focused on Winning
Although many expect McDavid to re-sign with the Oilers this summer, if he hits free agency he says his focus is on winning.
McDavid helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup final last season but lost in seven games to the Florida Panthers.
Speaking to The Athletic on December 3, McDavid says his priority is winning.
“I want to win. That’s it,” McDavid told The Athletic. “That’s all that matters to me at this point in my career.”
McDavid, meanwhile, also isn’t worried about what he will make. But, with the salary cap rising, he will be in line for a monster contract.
“I feel like I set the market a long time ago,” McDavid said. “That held for a long time. The cap was pretty stagnant there for a while. Now guys are pushing the cap (hits up). My priority is to win. My priority is to take care of my family. Those are the two things that I worry about. Those are my two obligations.”
McDavid has skated in 46 games recording 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points with the Oilers this season.
Maple Leafs Looking to Improve Team
Toronto is one of the best teams in the NHL and they will be looking to add to their roster.
The Maple Leafs are in second place in the Atlantic Division and the plan for Toronto is to add ahead of the deadline.
“You’re always watching. I know a lot of gets made of the deadline. But, you’re always looking at ways you can improve your team. And it’s not always just external,” Treliving said on January 13. “The one thing with injuries this year and the amount of injuries we’ve had up front, we’ve got a chance to look at we’ve got internally, which is important. We’ve seen some guys come up and play well and it gives you a little insight into what you have within the organization.”
The NHL Trade Deadline is set for March 7.
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