Edmonton Oilers fans have been hoping to hear news on an extension for their captain, Connor McDavid, since he became eligible to sign one back on July 1st. With every day that passes, fans seem to be getting concerned that a deal may not materialize, but a recent update from insider Elliotte Friedman in his latest edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast suggests an extension could be getting worked on after Team Canada’s Olympic orientation camp.
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Friedman said, “Team Canada meets next week in Calgary. I would expect after Connor McDavid is done there and he goes back to Edmonton, they will work on getting this done.”
It’s not much of an update in terms of what was already known, considering the current state was that McDavid would take some time for himself and then begin negotiations when he is ready to do so, but now we seem to have a timeline for it. A recent tweet from the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, which fans have a love-hate relationship with, mentioned something that also lines up with Friedman’s report.
We are hearing that Connor McDavid & the @EdmontonOilers will agree to a contract extension by or on September 3rd (Leon extension date last year)
3 to 4 years at $16M AAV is what we are hearing as of today does that change between now & then…..let’s see.#LetsGoOilers #NHL
— 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast (@2MuttsHockeyPod) August 23, 2025
The situation has been fluid for a while at this point, with different ideas of what the term will look like and how much money he will be making annually, but at the end of the day, it seems as though Oilers fans just want him to extend, so the speculation of him leaving for another team stops.
What Could a McDavid Extension Look Like?
McDavid has proven consistently that he is one of the most creative and dominant players the NHL has ever seen, and he has likely earned any terms he would like on his next deal, including full trade protection. Realistically, depending on the length of his next deal, the price tag could look very different. A shorter deal could bring the number around $16 million to $17.5 million, but a long-term, eight-year contract could bring it closer to $20 million annually.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
With the salary expected to rise over the next several seasons, McDavid’s next deal could be a shock to some fans around the league. Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov could surpass Leon Draisaitl as the highest-paid player in the league for a short period of time when his extension gets done, but it won’t be a title he holds for long. A longer deal for McDavid forces the Oilers to raise their offer in a big way, likely closer to that $20 million range, but either way, he is going to become the highest-paid player in the league.
In the rare world where McDavid chooses to test the open market after the 2025-26 season, all 31 other teams in the NHL will be lining up to try and give him an offer and convince him to join their team. He has made it clear numerous times that his goal is to win, and the Oilers are in a strong position to do that. With Friedman’s recent update, Oilers fans should be at ease that both sides continue to be open to a new deal, and it seems as though something is expected to be completed between the two sides sooner rather than later.
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