The Edmonton Oilers are expected to have a tough time re-signing Connor McDavid in the near future. The superstar recently opted to sign a two-year, $25 million ($12.5 million AAV) contract extension to remain in Edmonton. The short-term, team-friendly deal shocked many NHL analysts around the league.
In fact, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski previously predicted that McDavid would earn between $15.5 million and $19 million per year. The forward accepting less money with the Oilers clearly shows that he wants to win in Edmonton. Nevertheless, things are not necessarily going as planned for the star and his team. While the Oilers will make the playoffs yet again, postseason expectations are relatively low this time around.
The length of McDavid’s current contract also suggests that he is giving Edmonton a short window to hoist a Stanley Cup. Assuming this does not happen, the superstar could look to move on. It was reported in March that McDavid may leave the Oilers as early as this summer. If he does want out, several teams will be interested in acquiring the world’s best player.
As he will be a free agent in 2028, McDavid is expected to receive a significant pay raise in the future. The Athletic recently polled over 20 NHL agents, and a majority of them (13) predicted that the star will be the highest-paid player in the league by the 2028-29 season. “McDavid will get whatever he wants,” claimed one anonymous agent. “I think he’s going to get $20 (million AAV).”
Connor McDavid Not Expected to Get $20 Million AAV With the Edmonton Oilers
GettyConnor McDavid is expected to be the highest-paid NHL player by 2028.
At the moment, Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov is the highest-paid NHL player after receiving an eight-year, $136 million ($17 million AAV) extension. If the predictions are correct, McDavid would somewhat easily surpass this figure. However, as The Athletic points out, the NHL salary cap will be nearly $125 million by 2028. The cap is currently just over $95 million for the 2025-26 season.
Because of the increase, teams can obviously spend more money. Despite this, there are suggestions that if McDavid receives a $20 million AAV deal, it will not be with the Edmonton Oilers. In fact, another anonymous agent in the aforementioned poll claimed that the superstar will become the highest-paid NHL player with either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the New York Rangers.
McDavid ultimately landing in either Toronto or New York would make sense. The forward is an Ontario native and once said that it is his dream to play for the Maple Leafs. The Rangers are also going through a retooling and desperately want to bring in a star player to lead the new group.
Edmonton’s 2026 Playoff Run Will be Important to McDavid’s Future
Although there is a consensus that McDavid will soon reach $20 million AAV, another agent is not so sure. The questioned agent claimed that the star is “not in it for the money” and will prioritize playing for a winning team. McDavid’s previous contract extension in Edmonton does point in this direction.
Nevertheless, the superstar will still have to determine whether or not he can win a championship with the Oilers. The Western Conference is currently loaded at the moment, and Edmonton is not seen as one of the top three teams. As a result, McDavid may ultimately look east, particularly towards Toronto or New York. This upcoming postseason could very well give a solid clue to McDavid’s future.
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