Edmonton Oilers fans have been wondering if Connor McDavid will “take a discount” on his next contract, but what would that mean exactly?
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McDavid took a discount on his previous extension and has elevated his game even more since then, to the point he’s being called one of the greatest players of all-time this early in his career, and he has plenty of hockey left in him.
I have seen fans ask if McDavid would take a discount and take $14 million, the same as his teammate Leon Draisaitl, or if he would take even less. Some fans who focus more on the analytical side of things believe any price is a good price, and that’s true, and let’s be clear on something.
McDavid signing any extension at all would be a discount. If he signs for $17 million, that’s a discount. If he signs for $19 million, that’s a discount. McDavid coming back to the Oilers at all will be a discount. He is one of the greatest players of all time, so to expect him to take much less than he’s worth can be chalked up to delusion.
His offensive production, his defensive skill, and his ability to elevate in the playoffs, he is as close to a perfect hockey player as you can get. The Oilers could come out tomorrow and say they have extended McDavid for $25 million annually, and I wouldn’t bat an eye; he is genuinely worth that, if not more.
McDavid’s offensive production is out of this world. Through 712 career games, he has scored 361 goals and added 721 assists for 1082 points, which comes out to an incredible 1.51 points-per-game average. Last season, he had 100 points through 67 games, and also had 33 points through 22 playoff games. Through 96 career playoff games, he has scored 44 goals and added 106 assists for 150 points.
Now, I understand some fans want him to stick around while leaving money around to be able to spend at the trade deadline if they need to. That makes sense. But, let’s be honest, the Oilers have an incredible core of players that have helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final for the past two seasons, finally have strong prospects in their system, and have players taking discounts to remain with the organization long term, so realistically, they don’t need McDavid to take any less than what he’s worth.
Back to Reality: What Does His Next Contract Look Like?
Now, McDavid won’t sign for north of $20 million annually even if he is worth it, but eventually, he will sign a new deal. There have been reports that he would be open to a two or four-year deal rather than a long-term eight-year contract, but time will tell what the length looks like.
Realistically, he probably signs a deal for around $17 million annually, which will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL by a large margin, but it’s well deserved.
It seems to be a matter of when, not if, he signs a new contract with the Oilers. He won’t be leaving or testing the open market, but one thing is for certain: any new deal is a good deal for the Oilers.
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