3 big reasons why Connor McDavid should not sign Oilers extension on Day 1 of eligibility on July 1st 2025

The Edmonton Oilers face a huge decision this upcoming season regarding captain Connor McDavid. McDavid will be entering the final year of his current eight-year, $100 million contract.

That situation means the Oilers will need to get their franchise player signed to a new contract as soon as possible if they are to keep him around.

McDavid is eligible to re-sign an extension on July 1 of this year. Doing so would allow both McDavid and the Oilers to get the business side of things out of the way and focus on getting back to the Stanley Cup Final next season.

But given the way the Edmonton Oilers’ season ended on Tuesday night, three powerful reasons stand out as ones that could prevent McDavid from re-signing with the team this summer.

3 big reasons why Connor McDavid should not sign Oilers extension on Day 1 of eligibility

#3 The Oilers don’t have the cap space

Connor McDavid's current deal comes with a $12.5 million cap hit. That looks comparatively cheap to what Leon Draisaitl signed for this past season, netting a $14 million AAV over eight seasons.

The problem is that McDavid’s new contract will likely surpass Draisaitl’s. Assuming McDavid hits $15 million AAV, that would significantly shrink the Oilers’ cap space. The problem with that lies in the Oilers’ ability to build a solid supporting cast.

Without much cap space, there’s not much Edmonton can do to round out the roster. Consequently, the team may regress due to a lack of depth around its stars.

#2 Uncertainty in the crease

Uncertainty in the crease could give McDavid second thoughts about re-signing in Edmonton - Source: Imagn

Goaltending may not seem to have a direct impact on Connor McDavid’s decision to re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers. But considering how much goaltending held the team back this postseason, there’s room to believe key roster decisions, like goaltending, could sow doubt in Connor McDavid’s mind.

If the Oilers can’t address key positional issues, such as goaltending, along with adding legit top-six scorers to play alongside McDavid, the 28-year-old Ontario native may balk at the idea of re-signing until he sees what the team has planned.

#1 Regression on the horizon

The Edmonton Oilers will have a tough time keeping the band together beyond next season. Depth players like Adam Henrique and Evander Kane will be entering the final year of their deals.

Deadline acquisition Trent Frederic is a UFA along with 40-year-old wonder Corey Perry. Other role players like Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen are also free agents.

Then, there’s the blue line. Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, and Brett Kulak are all in the final year of their deals. Evan Bouchard is an RFA while John Klingberg is a UFA.

If the Oilers can’t figure out a way or re-sign or replace these players, the team will likely regress in the next couple of seasons. Add to that the absence of a number-one goalie and a depleted prospect pipeline, and the Oilers look poised for a rebuild.

Will Connor McDavid be keen on sticking around during a rebuild?

McDavid has likely seen his last chance at a Stanley Cup vanish in Edmonton. If he’s serious about winning one, he may think twice about re-signing in Oil Country.