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2w ago

McDavid’s Team-Friendly Extension Reframes NHL Market as Oilers Gain Near-Term Cap Room

The two-year structure at $12.5 million AAV prioritizes a short Cup window, creating roughly $18.7 million in projected 2026 cap space.

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10/9/25
10/8/25
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Overview

  • Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year, $136 million deal set a record, yet subsequent extensions for Jack Eichel ($13.5 million AAV) and Kyle Connor ($12 million AAV) landed below that benchmark.
  • Edmonton quickly moved to retain defenseman Jake Walman on a seven-year, $49 million contract following McDavid’s extension.
  • PuckPedia projects about $18.71 million in Oilers cap space for summer 2026, a flexibility NHL commissioner Gary Bettman publicly praised.
  • McDavid said the shorter term reflects a focus on winning now given Edmonton’s thinner pipeline, noting the two-year horizon lets the team ‘play this out.’
  • NHL Edge tracking cited by reporter Ryan Rishaug recorded McDavid at a 24.61 mph top speed days after the deal, his highest since league tracking began in 2021–22.