Connor McDavid has long been the consensus top player in the NHL, but after an offseason full of record-breaking extensions for his peers, the Edmonton Oilers captain is far from the highest-paid player.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recently signed a record eight-year pact with a $20.4-million average annual value. San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini ($18.8 million) and Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson ($18 million) each briefly held the distinction of carrying the league's highest cap hit before Makar usurped them.
All three stars are set to be paid significantly more than McDavid's $12.5-million AAV. The three-time MVP said ballooning salaries are good for the NHL from a player's perspective.
"I was thinking: That's a lot of money. That's a lot of money that they all signed for, and deservedly so," McDavid said when asked how he'd reacted to the flurry of lucrative contracts, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
"You know, it's been a long time coming for our league, to see some of those numbers. Good on those guys for pushing for that. You're slowly starting to see some player ownership in terms of things."
McDavid signed a two-year extension with Edmonton last year but declined a pay raise in order to help the Oilers build a stronger roster. He is currently scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2028.
The Oilers regressed last season, failing to win a playoff series after reaching the Stanley Cup Final the previous two campaigns. Edmonton notably traded veteran Darnell Nurse this offseason and brought in Mike Babcock to replace Kris Knoblauch as head coach.
McDavid registered 138 points in 2025-26 to clinch his sixth scoring title in 11 NHL seasons. He was the Hart Trophy runner-up and won the Ted Lindsay Award recognizing the league's most outstanding player as voted by the players.
