NHL Insider Shares Connor McDavid Scenario Oilers Fans Won’t Like originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Connor McDavid’s contract status has taken center stage one year before he reaches free agency, with the Edmonton Oilers virtually forced to find a way to re-sign the superstar forward before it’s too late.
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The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, however, has presented a future scenario Oilers fans may not want to hear, let alone see happen.
The NHL insider reported on Saturday that McDavid is likely to re-sign with Edmonton, but unlikely to sign a maximum-length extension when he becomes eligible to do so on July 1.
Instead, LeBrun expects McDavid to opt for a shorter-term deal to keep future options open and maximize his leverage going forward.
“There’s a good chance McDavid will sign a shorter deal instead of an eight-year max one,” LeBrun wrote. “Whether that’s two years or three or five or six, time will tell.
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“McDavid is still only 28. So a three-year deal, for instance, would put him back in an unrestricted-free-agent leverage position at 31, when he’s still in his prime.”
That flexibility, LeBrun says, would set the stage for a possible departure in what could be the ultimate nightmare scenario for Oilers fans and the franchise itself.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) controls the puck against the Florida Panthers during Game 5 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
LeBrun believes that when and if McDavid leaves, he’d prioritize signing with an American franchise to play in one of the biggest markets offered by the United States.
“If and when McDavid ever leaves, it’s a short list of markets that I believe would be a fit for him: L.A., the New York Rangers, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Dallas Stars, etc.,” LeBrun wrote. “It would not be a free-for-all, with 25 teams getting a chance at it.”
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McDavid is under contract through July 1, 2026, with a cap hit of $12.5 million as he approaches the end of his eight-year, $100 million deal with Edmonton.
Related: Elliotte Friedman’s Honest Take on Connor McDavid’s Future with Oilers
Related: Matthew Tkachuk’s Three-Word Message on Connor McDavid Goes Viral
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.