The Edmonton Oilers opened their season with a thrilling 4-3 overtime loss against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place. The game was also longtime center Connor McDavid’s first after signing a two-year, $25 million contract extension mere days ago.
And well, fans at Rogers Place used the opportunity to pay tribute to the star who first arrived in Edmonton as the first overall pick of the 2015 draft. A video posted on Instagram by Sportsnet shows thousands of fans cheering on the 28-year-old as he skates out of the player tunnel before the game.
“Your captain, No. 97, Connor McDavid!” the stadium announcer proclaimed to the deafening fans inside the arena.
The two-year extension kicks in for the 2026-27 season and carries an average annual value (AAV) of $12.5 million. By taking less money, McDavid gave the Oilers the financial flexibility to strengthen their roster and maintain a championship-caliber team.
However, the short-term deal also means that McDavid will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2027-28 season, effectively putting a three-year window on the franchise to win its first Stanley Cup since 1990. Since being drafted first overall in 2015, he has accumulated 1,082 points (361 goals, 721 assists) in 712 games, won the Hart Trophy three times, the Art Ross Trophy five times, and the Ted Lindsay Award four times.
“That was what Connor wanted. It’s not like we made a pitch that he should sign for that amount. We never had those conversations at all, and I think when we came down to it, we were excited to get ourselves down to where we are today. Obviously, it’s a very exciting day for our organization, our fans and our team,” General Manager Stan Bowman had said at the time, per NHL.com.
McDavid even won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2024 despite Edmonton’s Stanley Cup Final loss. The decision immediately allowed Edmonton to make other key moves, including signing defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year, $49 million deal.
