Connor McDavid Should Get $25 Million a Year on His Next Contract – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

After signing a five-year deal worth $18.8 million per season on July 29, San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini is now the highest-paid player in the NHL. But for how long? Both Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild will be due for new contracts by the end of 2026-27, and don’t be surprised if one or both of them break the $20 million per season barrier.

With the NHL salary cap on the rise as owners spend crazy amounts of money, it makes me wonder what Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will get paid when his contract expires at the end of 2027-28.

NHL Salary Cap Rising Fast

When the NHL announced the salary cap would increase, they projected the cap would rise from $95.5 million in 2025-26 to $113.5 million in 2027-28. The next agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA should make it jump even higher by 2028-29, when McDavid’s next contract would kick in.

He could be looking at anywhere between $25 million and $30 million per season. However, that would mean the salary cap increasing to at least $125 million in 2028-29. Whether he re-signs with the Oilers remains to be seen, but as of now, the hometown discount he signed before the start of last season for $12.5 million annually looks like one of the biggest bargains in NHL history.

McDavid’s Value to the Oilers Franchise

When the Oilers won the 2015 NHL draft lottery on April 18, 2015 and were first in line to draft McDavid, the franchise was valued at approximately $455 million. Today, they are valued at $3.2 billion, and much of that increase can be attributed to McDavid’s popularity. So what is McDavid actually worth?

When you compare NHL salaries to other sports leagues, hockey players are on the lower end of the spectrum. Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary is $235 million per season with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, or Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers of MLB in 2023. Is McDavid worth that?

Can the Oilers Salary Cap Keep Up With McDavid’s Value?

That’s the big question in many hockey circles. Can the Oilers afford to re-sign McDavid at or more than $25 million a season and remain competitive? That depends on how much the salary cap goes up in 2028-29. As of now, Edmonton’s championship window is open for the next two seasons. After that, it might be too late for an aging core and rising salaries.

There are clauses in NHL contracts that allow players to become part-owners. Mario Lemieux was able to do it under special circumstances – he was owed $32 million by the Pittsburgh Penguins while the franchise was going through bankruptcy proceedings in 1998. A shrewd superstar, Lemieux managed to negotiate part ownership of the Penguins and turned his $32 million into $350 million when the Penguins were sold to the Fenway Group in 2021. Is it time for the NHL to consider profit sharing for players such as McDavid?

McDavid’s Next Contract May Be Determined by the Success of the Oilers

You can bet that Oilers owner Daryl Katz wants to make McDavid an Oiler for life. But at what cost? It’s unlikely that he will give the team another hometown discount, as this is his time to really cash in. He could also feel pressure from the NHLPA to take what he deserves, as it will set the standard for NHL salaries.

McDavid will probably see how things go in Edmonton this season, and possibly the next, to see what his future will hold. If the Oilers can make it back to the Stanley Cup final this season, then you never know. In the meantime, as players continue to sign record-breaking contracts this offseason, McDavid’s value continues to rise.