Connor McDavid's agent reveals how they landed on $12.5 AAV figure for Oilers superstar's contract extension

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid signed a two-year $25 million contract extension on Oct. 6, keeping his average annual value at $12.5 million. It will begin in the 2026-27 season when the NHL salary cap is expected to rise further. However, the star forward's salary is $1.5 million less than his teammate's, Leon Draisaitl. It surprised many as he could've asked for more.

McDavid’s agent, Judd Moldaver, spoke about the deal on Monday, revealing that there was no real negotiation with the team.

"Well, look, with great respect to Stan (Bowman) and Jeff (Jackson)," Moldaver said (1:20:14), via the "32 Thoughts" podcast. "You just reiterated, it wasn't a negotiation, it was a process, and they respected Connor's process.

"In all my discussions with them, (I_ made it clear that when we were ready to engage on a deal construct would let them know. And to their credit, they had no pushback on that. We had many thoughtful conversations about the go-forward and the vision for the team."

Moldaver mentioned that the two-year deal fit McDavid and the team’s goals. He addded that every NHL team works under the same rules but has different needs, managing its salary cap and roster on its own. The Oilers are focused on staying competitive and building a strong lineup, and the deal helped balance McDavid’s value with the team’s long-term plans.

"I think those are the only two things that 32 teams have in common, and that's to win this Stanley Cup and be governed by the same CBA," Moldaver said.

Moldaver highlighted that McDavid wants to help the team keep winning while allowing roster flexibility. Edmonton has reached the Stanley Cup Final in the past two seasons, but needs more depth. McDavid's contract helps it stay within the salary cap and plan for the future.

"So on top of just, you know, exploring everything from a conceptual standpoint, was trying to find the right math and the right term that you know, most often we acquiesce to Connor's ability to win as an Oilers while, you know, maintaining protect his individual value," Moldaver said.

McDavid is playing his 11th NHL season with the Oilers since being drafted at No. 1 in 2015. He has scored 1,085 points in 714 regular season games. McDavid has three points in two games this campaign and is looking to win the championship.

Judd Moldaver's disbelief that Connor McDavid's new AAV is less

Judd Moldaver also shared his opinion on Connor McDavid's $12.5 million AAV, making it clear that he didn't think the contract amount was too low. He highlighted that McDavid’s choice mattered most, as his job is to protect his client’s interests and aim for fair pay.

"No, I mean, there might have been certain permutations that I might have raised my hand and said, "Hey, 97, maybe not that much, perhaps." Moldaver said on Monday, via the "32 Thoughts" podcast. "You obviously want to, you know, push for guys to make as much money as they can.

"I think in this particular case, you are still paid very handsomely. You know, $25 million it's still a lot of money. There's not many two year permutations that have this high a pay rate."

Moldaver added that it was funny when people questioned McDavid’s desire to win. He also called hockey a hard sport to win in and praised the forward's focus, and said the deal helps McDavid and the Oilers stay strong together.