EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid stand to benefit from two unstoppable forces: a ballooning NHL salary cap and the pressure cooker of needing to win now.

That’s why signing McDavid to a two-year contract extension would be the best way to move forward.

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Right now, the NHL salary cap is at $95.5 million for 2025–26, with projections heading to $113.5 million by 2027–28.

Social media whispers put his next AAV between $16 and $17.5 million. Insiders like Frank Seravalli and the 2 Mutts Hockey podcast are even tossing around a peak $17.5M figure. Why lock in long-term now? McDavid would be leaving millions on the table just as the salary cap explodes.

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A two-year pact lights a fire under Edmonton's front office. The threat of losing their best player since Wayne Gretzky should propel the organization to excellence rather than despair.

Casual fans can feel that their captain isn't going anywhere, but the winning better start yesterday. The more analytical crowd sees the chess move: cap flexibility now, and incentive timeline clear as the shaft of his stick.

Paired together, these aren't just contract terms—they're strategy. McDavid is betting on cap inflation and his team's urgency. It's the ultimate financial and emotional commitment wrapped in one.

Two years with the Oilers. Two years to win it all. Let the clock begin.

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