Connor McDavid is now eligible to sign an extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Nearly a month into the window, however, no deal has materialized. There have been no reports of any real progress in contract talks between the franchise and the superstar center.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, McDavid’s next move could come with enormous consequences, no matter how long his next contract is.
Connor McDavid Controls the Timeline and Has All Leverage
McDavid’s current contract expires after the 2025–26 season, but he can already sign a max-term extension with the Oilers, spanning eight years.
As things stand, the Oilers are running a race against the clock and have eleven months to convince the NHL's best player that Edmonton remains the right place for him to win.
During a B/R Open Ice livestream on Tuesday, Seravalli offered a clear assessment of McDavid’s current position, saying he believes the tiniest mistake could leave the Oilers without any leverage in contract talks with McDavid.
With the Oilers falling short in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals to the Florida Panthers, Seravalli believes the superstar has every reason to take his time in deciding what's next for him.
“I’m not really confident saying completely that it’s going to be a four-year deal,” Seravalli said. “But if you’re Connor McDavid, the last thing you want to do is go through this again.”
Seravalli projected McDavid’s next deal to easily become the highest-paid hockey player, whether it’s four or eight years in length.
"If I were looking at the Connor McDavid situation, as best I can handicap it at this point in time, my guess is that it's not going to be an eight-year deal. It'll be less than that, probably four," Seravalli said. "Somewhere between $16 and $17.5 million in AAV. Those are just ballparks. That's the best I can glean at this moment in time."
Connor McDavid Is Focused on Winning, Not Financial Gains
Seravalli emphasized that the length of McDavid's next contract may not matter that much to him, whatever term the Oilers offer him.
“He has so much leverage and control that if he decides after four years or three years that the Edmonton Oilers aren’t getting it done… Well, the best player in the world just raises his hand and says, ‘I want out,’ and they’ll have no choice but to make it happen,” Seravalli said.
McDavid echoed that patient approach in his own end-of-season media availability.
"I’m going to talk to my agent a little bit and family and all that,” McDavid said. “And make some decisions whenever that time comes. But there’s no rush on anything like that.”
Oilers Can’t Afford Even a Hint Connor McDavid Might Leave
Seravalli warned that if McDavid sends even a soft signal he’s considering leaving, the damage to Edmonton’s position in the negotiations could be irreversible.
“If he hints that he wants out, I don’t think Edmonton has a chance,” Seravalli said.
Despite scoring 100 points in 67 games last season and adding 33 more in the playoffs, McDavid’s individual greatness wasn’t enough to push the Oilers past the Panthers in either of the last two Finals.
As the NHL’s salary cap rises, with a projection to reach $113.5 million by the 2027-28 season, McDavid’s ability to sign shorter, flexible deals only increases, so he can maximize his earnings and know where things stand in terms of the Oilers' contending window.
“He already holds all the power,” Seravalli said. “A shorter deal won’t light a fire under management any more than what already exists.”
