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The Edmonton Oilers are flying after another slow start. They are 7-1 in their last 8 and have 36 points in 29 games largely because of Connor McDavid. The three-time MVP has 40 points in 26 games, a full-season pace of 108. After Leon Draisaitl signed a $14 million extension last summer, attention turned to his teammate's contract. Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson spoke with The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun about Connor McDavid's contract situation.
“Connor has the rest of this year and then another year,” Jackson told LeBrun. “We’re not getting into contract discussions at all at this point. I have a good relationship with Connor that goes way back (as his former agent). We have a good relationship with Judd Moldaver, who is his agent now. And when it’s time and appropriate, we will sit down and start chatting. But that’s not now. And it probably won’t be until the end of the season, to be honest.”
McDavid is not eligible to sign an extension until July 1, so don't expect any news until then. But when he signs a deal, he will likely set a new salary-cap-era record. The Oilers set that record with Draisaitl this summer.
Jackson will have a lot of pressure to bring back the Oilers superstar. He told LeBrun that McDavid and Draisaitl enjoy playing together, so he is not concerned about losing 97. But the salary cap will create a tough balancing act in Edmonton.
Oilers must balance superstars with the necessary depth
Early in McDavid and Draisaitl's careers, the Oilers struggled in the playoffs. With McDavid's then-record $12.5 million cap hit and Draisaitl at $8.5, it was tough to fill out the lineup. When the salary cap went up, they were able to afford players like Evander Kane and Zach Hyman, and they made the Stanley Cup Final.
The good news for Jackson is that the salary cap is expected to balloon up to $92.4 million next season. The bad news is that McDavid deserves as much money as they could give him. He could sign a deal worth $18.48 million per season, 20% of the salary cap. There is no overpaying McDavid, so the Oilers must focus on scouting and development to create depth.
The Oilers lost in Game 7 of the Cup Final to the Florida Panthers last season. They supplemented their bottom six with some solid pieces and are in good shape again. The Western Conference will be tough to maneuver through but they can win a Cup before signing this mega McDavid extension.
