Does anyone else find it intriguing that a handful of the top players in the NHL, led by Connor McDavid, are going to be unrestricted free agents (UFAs) by the end of this season and still haven’t signed a new contract? Franchise cornerstones such as McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov haven’t signed new deals. Nor have prominent UFAs such as Kyle Connor, Artemi Panarin, and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Usually before training camp begins, star players will sign on the dotted line, like Leon Draisaitl did last September. However, this season feels different. You might forgive Panarin and Bobrovsky because both are in their mid 30s, but McDavid, Eichel, Kaprizov, and Connor are still in their late 20s and the prime of their careers.
You’d think they would all want to sign new deals to create some financial security for the remainder of their time in the NHL. But, I think it is becoming obvious they all want to wait to see exactly how high the NHL salary cap will rise.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced last December that there would be increases to the salary cap for the next three seasons, but according to NHL.com, he also mentioned something that may be the answer as to why, McDavid especially, hasn’t signed an extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Bettman said:
“As we look at revenues, we’re going to have discussions with the Players’ Association about escrow levels and whether or not the cap can or should be tweaked a little more on an ongoing basis, but that’s something that we have to really work out with the Players’ Association and we’re having those discussions.”
Is this what McDavid, Eichel, Kaprizov, and company are waiting to hear about?
Pressure Is Mounting in Edmonton
It seems like every day there’s another story about McDavid possibly leaving Edmonton for another market even though he consistently says that he just wants to focus on the 2025-26 season. Could it be that McDavid, along with his fellow UFAs from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft like Eichel, Kaprizov, and Connor want to see exactly how big the tweaks to the salary cap that Bettman mentioned will be? If this is the plan, the players will know how much they can sign for and how much wiggle room their teams will have to bring in top talent. It almost feels as though the players are also negotiating for more say and power when it comes to their careers and the direction of the teams they play for.
Is that why Kaprizov and his agent reportedly walked away from the bargaining table late this summer? According to some reports, Kaprizov turned down an eight-year, $128 million contract offer from the Minnesota Wild that would make him the highest-paid player in the NHL. Kaprizov didn’t comment about that offer. He remains tight-lipped about wanting to focus on hockey, and that’s exactly what McDavid has been saying to a very nervous fan base in Edmonton.
New Deal for McDavid Could Be A Game Changer
If the bottom line for NHL teams continues to rise, what will the future hold for star players and the league itself? Could McDavid find himself in the territory of other star players in other professional sports such as the National Basketball Association, National Football League, and Major League Baseball? When players in those leagues are making upwards of $50 million a season, is there a chance that the NHL can catch up? Or, to be more realistic, would it be possible for a player like McDavid to sign a deal around $25 million a season that still leaves room for his team to afford other top talent?
When you see former pro players such as Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson get into the ownership game, is it unrealistic for a guy like McDavid to possibly become part of an NHL ownership group someday? Mario Lemieux did it, but the circumstances in Pittsburgh were different. Guys like Jordan, Brady, and even LeBron James negotiated deals throughout their careers that gave them a lot of options once their playing days were over. This could happen for McDavid and other NHL stars.
Related: Connor McDavid Is One of the Biggest Reasons Oilers Are Worth $2.65B
Maybe that’s why they’re waiting to see what will happen with the league. Maybe it’ll quiet down a bit of the paranoia Oilers fans are feeling. You can’t blame fans in Oil Country for worrying, especially after some of the greatest players in NHL History such as Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier have come and gone from the franchise. Maybe this season marks a turning point in NHL History led by McDavid, Eichel, Kaprizov and Connor. A new era of prosperity for NHL players? Possibly.
