Connor McDavid essentially served as the Edmonton Oilers\' salary cap strategist when negotiating his two-year, $25 million extension, choosing to maintain his current $12.5 million salary rather than pursue maximum value. The decision reflects his understanding of the NHL\'s restrictive financial system.
McDavid analyzed the Oilers\' cap situation and determined that seeking a significant raise would hamper the team\'s ability to build a championship roster. The 28-year-old three-time MVP was eligible for up to 20 percent of the salary cap but instead prioritized Edmonton\'s roster flexibility.
\"It\'s not a hard calculation to figure out,\" McDavid said. \"The money they\'ve gotten back is money they can go spend.\"
McDavid\'s self-imposed cap management gave Edmonton the type of discount typically reserved for warm-climate, tax-free markets, according to one NHL agent. His current deal represents 12 percent of the salary cap, down from 15.7 percent when he signed in 2017.
The contract demonstrates McDavid\'s frustration with the league\'s salary structure. He acknowledged elite players deserve significantly higher compensation but accepted the system\'s constraints to benefit his team.
\"It\'s the unfortunate part of the system,\" McDavid said. \"It is, and it sucks that way. I\'d love for (elite) hockey players to go and make $20 million or $25 million (per year), but that\'s just not the way it works. We play hockey, and that\'s the system that we\'re in.\"
The savings provided immediate benefits. Edmonton used the additional cap space to extend defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year deal worth $7 million annually starting next season.
McDavid passed on open-market value exceeding $19 million annually. The extension keeps him in Edmonton through 2028, when he can explore free agency. The Oilers have reached consecutive Stanley Cup Finals but lost both times, making the championship window McDavid\'s clear priority over personal earnings.