Opinion: Connor McDavid Is Poised To Become The First $20-Million Man In NHL History

Depending upon how much of the salary cap he’s willing to take up, the Oilers’ superstar can hit the mark, either in Edmonton or somewhere else. And if not McDavid, Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are up the next season, says Ken Campbell.

Connor McDavid. Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Connor McDavid, as hockey players tend to do, left money on the table in his last contract negotiation. A lot of it.

He may not be as willing to do that, particularly if the Edmonton Oilers win the Stanley Cup either this or next season. With the salary cap rising over $100 million, McDavid could command $20 million, or even a little more, when his deal expires after the 2025-26 season.

He would, of course, become the first player in NHL history to have an average annual salary of $20 million, and he’ll almost certainly deserve every penny. As an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, there’s almost no doubt that somebody, either the Oilers or another team, is going to offer that amount to him. Whether or not he takes it is another question.

And if not him, well, Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are up the next season, when $20 million will represent a smaller percentage of the overall cap. So, it’s coming, sooner rather than later. It could even happen this summer when the Oilers can sign McDavid to an extension.