$17-million deal reshapes McDavid and Oilers landscape

$17-million deal reshapes McDavid and Oilers landscape

Key point

Kirill Kaprizov’s new eight-year, $17-million-a-year contract reorders the NHL pay scale and forces Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to reassess timing, risk and team construction.

What changed

Kaprizov leapfrogs past Leon Draisaitl’s $14-million average annual value to become the NHL’s highest-paid player, creating the largest single AAV jump in the salary-cap era and resetting market expectations for elite forwards.

Decisions facing McDavid

McDavid can either sign now for a maximum based on the current cap or wait for the cap to rise and secure a larger percentage-based payday later. Signing sooner trades potential future earnings for guaranteed security, while waiting raises upside but increases exposure to injury and season-to-season uncertainty.

Teammates’ contrasting strategies

Draisaitl chose long-term security, locking in guaranteed money that will decline as a percentage of the cap over time. Evan Bouchard opted for a shorter term to chase higher future value once defencemen benchmarks rise. Both approaches carry clear trade-offs between guaranteed compensation and upside.

Cap consequences for Edmonton

Even a moderately reduced McDavid deal would combine with Draisaitl, Bouchard and Nurse to consume roughly half the projected cap next season, leaving little flexibility for goaltending, top-four defencemen and depth. The Oilers must also rely on low-cost youth to remain competitive while the cap inflates.

Bottom line

Kaprizov’s record contract forces immediate strategic choices for McDavid and puts pressure on the Oilers’ roster-building plan as the cost of staying in contention climbs.