The Edmonton Oilers have the most issues this offseason. While the team has been unsuccessful in addressing its goalie struggles, recent rumors suggest that star forward Connor McDavid might not sign a full deal.
The initial rumors had McDavid walking away once his current deal with the Oilers expires next year. Recent updates have suggested that the forward will re-sign with the Oilers soon. However, one insider has some warnings for the Oilers fans regarding this.
NHL Insider Suggests the Oilers’ Fans Lower Their Expectations for Connor McDavid
While McDavid had one of the best seasons of his career last season, with 100 points in the regular season, he was still cut short. A big reason for that was the Panthers’ superior offense and the Oilers’ underwhelming goaltending.
This led many critics to believe that McDavid would leave the Oilers once his current deal is done. McDavid had already mentioned multiple times that winning the Stanley Cup is all that matters to him. But recent rumors suggested the Oilers might’ve convinced him to stay.
But the rumors also suggested it might not be for a whole deal. The “2 Mutts Podcast” was the first to mention this last week. So when insider John Shannon joined the ‘Oilers Now’ podcast with host Bob Stauffer, he was ready with his take on this situation.
John Shannon: Re Connor McDavid extension: I think it’s a…three or four year deal; I think Connor’s gonna come in…lower than a lot of people [are expecting], short term – Oilers Now (8/15)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 16, 2025
Stauffer mentions that while there has been a lot of talk regarding McDavid’s extension, he believes that McDavid will sign with the Oilers. When asked about the number, Shannon mentions, “Well, I mean, like you and Frank, I think it’s a three- or four-year deal.”
He continues, “You know, Connor’s entitled to 20%. So what does that put it at, 17 or 18?” Shannon believes that McDavid’s new cap hit would likely be in the $17 million to $18 million range. This is also the number that most analysts have come up with.
But Shannon also mentions, “But I also think Connor’s smart enough to know that if he gets too much, that’s less to acquire free agents and other players for this hockey club.” He believes that McDavid also knows that he can’t get too much.
According to Shannon, McDavid knows that he gets too big a deal, which means less money for the Oilers to acquire free agents and other players. Shannon continues, “You know, and that’s what superstars do, and that’s what superstars do, and that’s what superstars do, and that’s what superstars do, and that’s what superstars do, that want to win the Stanley Cup, that want to win championships as they sacrifice.”
He mentions that while it is hard to call it a sacrifice, knowing that he will still be making $16 to 17 million, McDavid will come in at a figure lower than many expect. He mentions that it will also give him more freedom at the end of the salary cap description.
