On July 5, 2017, Connor McDavid signed an eight-year contract extension with the Oilers for $12.5 million per season, making him the NHL’s highest-paid player. Interestingly, he could have negotiated a larger deal but chose to leave money on the table for salary cap flexibility, as revealed by Pierre LeBrun on his podcast “Radar.”
Leon Draisaitl, who recently signed a substantial contract, also could have earned more, with figures suggesting he could have reached $14 million annually. While this amount is significant, both players might have garnered even higher salaries by testing the free agent market, especially with the salary cap expected to rise to $93 million by the 2025-26 season.
Ultimately, both McDavid and Draisaitl opted to prioritize team flexibility, and it remains to be seen if McDavid will take a similar approach for his next contract, which ends in 2026.
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