Overview

• McDavid announced the deal on social media before the season opener and said he chose the structure to keep the focus on winning.
• The $12.5 million AAV is well below recent superstar benchmarks, including Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million figure with Minnesota.
• Edmonton quickly leveraged the lower cap hit to secure Jake Walman on a seven-year, $7 million AAV extension and Mattias Ekholm on a three-year deal at $4 million.
• Coach Kris Knoblauch and team leaders said the pact increases flexibility to retain core players and make targeted roster improvements.
• League reaction was mixed, as Jack Eichel said McDavid’s contract won’t affect his own negotiations in Vegas, while Auston Matthews’ praise of McDavid’s winning focus drew online pushback from some Maple Leafs fans.