Winner and losers of Connor McDavid’s contract: Oilers obtains a discount, the leaves are missing

The agreement is concluded: Connor McDavid remains in Edmonton.

In an unusual decision for an NHL superstar, however, he signed in the short term and for an incredible case with the Oilers, accepting an extension of two years with an average annual value of only $ 12.5 million. It is much less than the agreement of $ 17 million per season that Kirill Kaprizov signed with Minnesota Wild last week, and corresponds to the same McDavid contract, which he signed in July 2017.

The fallout from this extension will be felt on a league scale, with winners and losers on both sides of the big book, because one of the best players in the sport never decided to give its team a massive reduction in the hometown rather than testing the free agency.

Crétons.

Winner: Edmonton’s Oilers

No question on this subject, the CEO of Oilers, Jeff Jackson, makes backflips at the moment after having concluded this offer.

McDavid could have demanded a maximum record league contract of $ 19.1 million per season on the term he wanted. Instead, the face of the franchise allowed ouilers of $ 6.6 million against the ceiling during the following two seasons, enough money to add another good player to their arsenal.

If Edmonton had lost McDavid for no return to the free agency in July of next year, their status as a suitors would have been decimated. Instead, the Oilers remain the cup favorites, in particular with the double reigning champion Florida Panthers losing Captain Aleksander Barkov for a season’s injury.

Loser: any team that dreamed of McDavid

If McDavid had visited the free agency in 2026, the other 31 teams would have been aligned to make their argument. And many of them had a decent ground to do.

Dozens of teams need help in the center right now. Basically, each team needs another superstar, especially that which changes the situation than McDavid. Instead, this removes another huge piece from the UFA from the table, leaving the many REGS and REWILLING clubs of the NHL unable to catch up in an environment where so few star players become available.

And how do you compete with a player of his caliber winning a salary so lower than the market value for a rivalized team which was consecutive finals?

It will not be easy.

Winner: Connor McDavid

Some could put it in the loser category for leaving as much money on the table. Not us.

Yes, McDavid could have won about $ 12 million here, but with this contract, he obtained a huge victory with his fans base, gives the management team more space to work and proves that his n ° 1 desire is to win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton.

McDavid has already managed north of $ 100 million in his NHL career, and he will continue to sign lucrative approval agreements. He is only 28 years old, and with the CAP up quickly, engaging in an eight -year agreement probably does not make sense if maximizing his financial attraction becomes more urgent later in his career.

As he was a free agent after this extension on July 1, 2028, McDavid will still only have 31 years and able to order a long -term agreement for almost $ 25 million per season. This would mean about $ 150 million in profits, which makes this two -year presentation a distant memory.

Loser: Minnesota Wild

The Wild did what they had to do to keep their superstar, but it is difficult to run this development as a victory for Minnesota.

The great fear of giving Kaprizov a massive contract, the one who has no peer in the league, is it if the other teams do not follow? What if the AAV of $ 14 million from Léon Draisaitl becomes the ceiling of Star offers and that the $ 17 million in Kaprizov are an aberrant value for the coming years?

It may not be disastrous to spend a few million more for a better player than your peers, but it is not ideal either, especially if it takes years to other Kaprizov level stars to reach this level of salary. And the savages could soon make all their young talents in full swing appear for great days of pay.

Winner: Leon Draisaitl

Speaking of Draisaitl, it must be a relief for the other superstar of the oilers. If McDavid had chosen to go to the free agency in 2026, Draisaitl would have been engaged in seven years of more than one eight -year agreement on a list of reduced ilers.

Instead, his close friend takes a haircut, for 1.5 million dollars less a season than Draisaitl, and the pair will be a force around the NHL for three more seasons.

The other winners also include the rest of their Oilers teammates, because this extension guarantees that Edmonton will be one of the powers of the Western conference until 2028.

Loser: Jack Eichel and other stars who need contracts

When the Kaprizov agreement was signed, Dollar Signs suddenly started to appear in the eyes of other potential ovi of 2026.

At the top of this list? Vegas Golden Knights Center Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets Sniper Kyle Connor and winger of the New York Artemi Panarin Rangers.

Although it is probably the three who command beautiful contracts, especially if they arrive on the free market, McDavid’s agreement certainly stimulates the negotiation power of anyone. If anything, the teams can go to players who want to stay and argue that they want them to shoot a McDavid, taking less to help the cause.

It remains to be seen if such an argument is to be seen, but to date, Eichel and Connor have conceptions to stay where they are and are relatively far in the negotiations.

It is said here that their transactions end up looking more like contracts granted to Draisaitl, Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen as opposed to the Hit of $ 17 million in Kaprizov.

Winner: the middle class of the NHL

If stars like McDavid continue to take haircuts, this means more money for everyone under the hard cap of the league. Statistically speaking, the best NHL players have long been underestimated in relation to their ice value, which allowed the middle class of the league – second -line wingers and second pair defenders – to collect rewards and to disembark greater contracts than what would be otherwise available.

The fact that the oilers have signed defender Jake Walman to an extension of $ 7 million dollars just after the announcement of the McDavid agreement is a sign of the place where this additional money could go to the League, assuming that McDavid is starting a trend.

Loser: the Toronto Maple Leafs

The “Bring McDavid Home” conference recently struck a fever in Toronto, especially since its extension talks dragged in the training camp. The Leafs lost a star during the offseason, and with a low -prospect swimming pool and an aging list, McDavid – who grew up in Newmarket, a suburb of Toronto – felt like a silver ball option for the franchise if he was in a free agency.

There was even a discussion between the fans base on trying to improve the 2025-26 season list to save enough space to land McDavid.

Now, it is to plan B for leafs, which will still have tons of space to work in 2026-2027.

Loser: free agency in 2026

Speaking of teams that awaits before next year … There is much left to bid. With McDavid and Kaprizov signed, and Eichel and Connor not far behind, this leaves a class of 2026 which quickly passed from unreal unless Iideal.

Panarin is probably the biggest name that remains, but it will be nearly 35 by next July.

Can we interest someone in the Adrian Kempe competition? An auction war by Martin Necas? Uh… Nick Schmaltz?

Good luck to those of the July 1 television panels next year, but he already looks a little dark.

Winner: Free agency in 2028

Hey, maybe it’s just delayed dreams for the teams who wanted McDavid?

Perhaps in 2028, McDavid won his Stanley Cup in Edmonton and, after carrying out his mission, wants to end his career in a new place? Or maybe he is still looking for an elusive championship and chooses to test the market?

In this case, all suitors can prepare for what will probably be the biggest UFA competition in the NHL.