"Blow up the cap" "$20mil?": NHL fans left speculating over Connor McDavid's next contract after Leon Draisaitl's extension

NHL star Connor McDavid's contract situation has been a hot topic this week after the Oilers and Leon Draisaitl agreed to an eight-year, $112 million extension on Tuesday. Given the success the two have had together and the fact that McDavid is preparing to enter into contract negotiations himself, the belief has been that McDavid's future with Edmonton is tied to Draisaitl.

Per the terms of Draisaitl's new contract, once the deal kicks in, he will become the highest-paid player in the NHL with annual earnings of $14 million.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, McDavid's $12.5 million AAV will take up 14.20% of the team's salary cap, while the final year of Draisaitl's current deal will take up 9.66% of the team's cap hit. Starting with the 2025–26 season, however, Draisaitl's contract will account for 15.22% of the team's cap.

Given that, once Connor McDavid signs a new contract with the team, the contracts of both stars will likely account for upwards of 30% of the team's cap. In response to the news, NHL fans were quick to react to the situation, weighing in on what McDavid's next contract could look like.

"$20mil?" - One wrote

"Blow up the cap." - Another wrote

Others shared gif reactions while discussing the situation:

Others questioned how the team will be able to adapt:

"He’s probably worth it on his own. But Edmonton is going to have a lot of trouble building a cup contender around him." - One wrote

"Edmonton’s going to surround the two of them with the cardboard standees left over from 2020 since that’s all they’ll be able to afford" - Another added

Looking at how the Edmonton Oilers can build a championship-caliber team while re-signing Connor McDavid

With Leon Draisaitl earning $14 million per year and Connor McDavid likely poised for a contract that pays upwards of $15 million per year, the Oilers will need to get creative.

One possibility is that the team could look to sign McDavid to a deferred contract, which would free up cap space over the next few years. This is something the Carolina Hurricanes have employed as of late. The Oilers could follow the suit.

Edmonton can lure high-profile veterans and retain them, given their win-now mentality. Players, like forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, joined the Oilers on team-friendly deals in pursuit of a Stanley Cup last season, while veterans like Adam Henrique signed team-friendly extensions.

While the team can't bank on lightning striking twice, they could look to follow a similar blueprint in acquiring veterans to fill out their roster, assuming they re-sign McDavid.

Last, but certainly not least, the team's prospect pool appears to be headed in the right direction. With talented prospects preparing to make the jump to the NHL in the years to come, the team could have some luck with talented young players stepping up big way.

While there are still plenty of questions, with Leon Draisaitl's contract figured out and Connor McDavid's likely to follow, the Oilers will have at least one year before facing the daunting salary cap.