Connor McDavid chose to take less money.
The top player in hockey could have asked for just about any amount when he signed a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers that runs until the 2027-28 season.
FastCast: The best from Saturday in under 10 minutes
Instead, he agreed to a modest salary of $12.5 million a year for two years, adding up to $25 million in total.
This choice didn’t make him the highest-paid player in the NHL. It also didn’t make him the highest-paid player on the Oilers, as that title still goes to Leon Draisaitl.
However, this decision opened many new possibilities for him.
McDavid can now be traded to another team more easily than if he was earning $16-20 million a year.
He also has a better idea of what his next contract could look like. He didn’t sign a longer-term contract with the Oilers, which seems like he wants to keep his choices open.
With two years left on his current salary, McDavid has many options ahead of him. And the Oilers don’t have the upper hand right now.
They understand that their best opportunity to win the Stanley Cup is with McDavid on their team, so they need to make him happy.
If he decides to stay, this could lead to significant moves to bring in more talent around him, especially if their team doesn’t make a strong playoff push after a somewhat disappointing season.
If McDavid requested a trade, the Oilers would have many teams interested in him.
And if McDavid chooses not to leave anytime soon, he can now ask for a record-breaking contract, noting that he was willing to take a pay cut with his last deal and can now aim for a big payday with his next one.
None of this will be talked about a lot until Edmonton’s season is really over. But it’s a good idea to consider it now.
McDavid’s future in hockey is still uncertain, even if any changes happen in a year or two instead of right now.
Leave a Reply