NHL insider thinks McDavid contract negotiations with Edmonton Oilers are about to heat up
The Edmonton Oilers are set to open training camp in just a few weeks, and Connor McDavid has yet to sign a contract extension.
With Oilers GM Stan Bowman making several moves to improve the team early in the offseason, inking the Edmonton captain is the last major move to get done before the season starts.
This is the second summer in a row that signing a superstar has been a source of anxiety in Edmonton. The Oilers did the same song and dance with Leon Draisaitl last year before he eventually signed a record-setting eight-year extension on Sept. 3.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, it’s looking like a new McDavid contract could be following a similar schedule.
“Start of camp, I could see it,” Friedman said. “I just think everybody wants to get it done, so I would expect between the Olympic camp and training camp, they sit down and they say, ‘How is this all gonna look?'”
McDavid will be participating in Team Canada’s Olympic camp in Calgary this week from Aug. 26 to 28. Oilers training camp is then expected to open up sometime in mid-September, putting the timeline for a new contract to be signed in the next few weeks.
The terms of that contract are not exactly known, although there have been reports that McDavid will not be following Draisaitl’s precedent of signing a max-term deal. Instead, much of the speculation and reporting has centred on McDavid signing an extension in the two-to-four-year range, similar to Evan Bouchard’s latest contract.
As for the money, it’s safe to say that McDavid’s next cap hit will be the highest in the league and is likely to eclipse the $16 million mark.
The Oilers have proven that they are in a position to win in this league, having advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last two seasons. Though they haven’t captured the ultimate prize yet, the Oilers are still set up to be cup contenders for several more seasons.
Getting McDavid locked up to an extension, however, will be critical to extend that Stanley Cup window.