The Edmonton Oilers could be getting ready to announce an extension for Connor McDavid sooner than most fans anticipate.
According to the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, the Oilers and their captain could announce an extension right after the Team Canada orientation camp scheduled for August 26 to 28 in Calgary.
The orientation camp will be held as Team Canada preps for the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. Connor McDavid is among the 42 invitees. He’s a lock for the team and could be named captain of the squad.
As soon as the orientation camp is done, Connor McDavid will transition to the Oilers’ preseason. That’s when the club could announce an extension. The announcement would come before the Oilers hit the hit for their training camp sessions.
The extension could range from two to four years. The AAV could also be in the neighborhood of $16 to $17.5 million. Even on a short-term deal, it would be a massive extension. Also, it would make Connor McDavid the highest-paid player in the NHL when it kicks in for the 2026-26 season.
The holdup, it seems, is the team and McDavid’s agent ironing out the final details before the deal is complete.
Connor McDavid Unlikely to Sign a Long-Term Extension
As has been the case throughout the summer, Connor McDavid is unlikely to sign a max-term, eight-year deal this summer.
That situation could be problematic for the Oilers as this offseason is the club’s last chance to sign Connor McDavid to an eight-year extension.
Next season, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will kick in. Among its changes, teams will no longer be able to sign players to eight-year deals. Teams can only sign their own players to seven-year deals, with free agents getting six.
That change could affect the outlook for the Oilers as it would limit a potential max-term deal moving forward. However, with McDavid reluctant to max out his next contract, it makes the possibility moot.
So, fans shouldn’t be speechless to see McDavid inking for a short-term deal as a means of buying himself time to figure out his future in Edmonton.
Oilers Feel Pressure to Compete
One of the prevailing thoughts has been the Oilers’ feeling pressure to remain competitive. Otherwise, they could risk losing Connor McDavid to free agency.
That’s why McDavid seems unwilling to commit to the Oilers for more than three or four seasons. The Oilers cannot sit back and hope things turn out well, knowing that McDavid could jump ship in two years’ time.
However, the club also faces salary cap pressure. Even with the cap ceiling going up over the next couple of seasons, the club will need to maximize its cap space to ensure Connor McDavid has a competitive roster around him.
But if the Oilers fail to remain competitive, the pressure could be too much for the team to handle. As a result, the club may have no other choice but to trade McDavid at some point.
Bear in mind that a similar type of pressure forced the Oilers to trade Wayne Gretzky nearly 40 years ago.
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