Connor McDavid sacrifices millions to keep chasing a Stanley Cup with the Oilers

In the wake of Kirill Kaprizov's monster, record-breaking contract, speculation was swirling that Connor McDavid's next deal would blow that out of the water. Instead, the Edmonton Oilers captain signed at a discounted rate in order to take advantage of the team's Stanley Cup window.

This, in and of itself, is a shock. After all, if the tremendous yet injury-stricken Kaprizov can become the highest paid NHLer of all time overnight, then surely McDavid as a five-time Art Ross winner and three-time MVP could have easily surpassed Kaprizov's $17 million AAV.

Instead, McDavid opted for a short-term, two-year contract extension at $12.5 million that will kick in for the 2026-27 season. For comparison's sake, when The Athletic conducted its annual player polls, every single player responded that McDavid deserves a higher salary than that. Some even guessed that he would become the first player to reach a $20 million paycheck per season, while others opined that he should get "whatever he wants."

Yet, by signing for two additional years at such a bargain, McDavid shows tremendous faith in the ability of the Oilers to go all the way after being disappointed in back-to-back seasons falling in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers. The clock is now ticking, and Edmonton has three seasons left to prove to the NHL's most elite skater that the team is capable of claiming greatness at long last. But how likely is that to happen this season?

Edmonton Oilers season projection for 2025-26

The expectations are high for the Oilers, who return to the ice with the majority of the team's core intact. Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Evan Bouchard are all locked up in the long-term with McDavid now remaining in Edmonton through at least 2027-28. With that in mind, it's no surprise that many experts are picking the Oilers as the winners of the Pacific Division.

NHL.com sees the Oilers as a lock for the playoffs, which can go without saying based on the offensive capabilities of its current lineup. Last year, the team averaged 3.16 goals per game, good enough for 11th in the league, and increased that number to 3.73 G/GP during the postseason. A similar performance can be anticipated this year, given the fact that the only main losses on the roster were middle-six forwards in Corey Perry, Viktor Arvidsson, and Evander Kane. With former 30-goal scorer Andrew Mangiapane as the newest addition to the forward corps, plus up-and-coming prospects like Isaac Howard and Matthew Savoie ready to crack the lineup, there's little concern as far as lighting the lamp.

Keep in mind that the Oilers' defense is equally as adept and well-rounded. They have the perfect offensive-minded defender and power play quarterback in Evan Bouchard skating alongside the more responsible Mattias Ekholm on the top pairing. That duo has proven to be among the league's best. With Jake Walman entering the fray last season and making an immediate impact, as well as an efficient puck-mover in Darnell Nurse, the blue line is ready to hunker down once more.

The only concern entering 2025-26 is how long the championship window is going to be open for. Ekholm, Walman and Brett Kulak are all poised to hit free agency next summer along with forwards Adam Henrique and Kasperi Kapanen, plus both goaltenders in the current tandem, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. With the lower part of the roster ready to fall out, it's still up in the air who will be returning and at what cost.

But despite the potential worries about the long-term future of the Oilers, The Athletic still projects them finishing first in the league with 109 points during the regular season, while also acknowledging that the door is slowly swinging shut on the Stanley Cup dreams.

With McDavid signed at such a team-friendly rate, it's obvious that he is optimistic about the team's chances at chasing a championship in the near future.