Elliotte Friedman plays down talks of Kirill Kaprizov's $136M contract influencing Connor McDavid's Oilers extension

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has addressed Kirill Kaprizov’s new contract and its possible effect on Connor McDavid’s future with the Edmonton Oilers.

Kaprizov, the Minnesota Wild’s star left winger and alternate captain, signed an eight-year, $136 million extension with a $17 million annual cap hit. The deal starts in the 2026-27 season and runs through 2033-34, making Kaprizov the highest-paid player in league history.

However, Friedman said Kaprizov’s contract does not directly affect Connor McDavid’s situation. On Friday's "32 Thoughts" podcast, he said:

"And there were, like, well, there were people who said, 'Hey, if Kaprizov signs for 17, what's McDavid gonna get?' McDavid's gonna get 20 to 25M if he wants it. No matter what Kaprizov gets, they are not the same things." [17:00 onward]

Connor McDavid, who is in the final year of his contract, continues to lead the Oilers as captain and one of the best players in the NHL. Drafted first overall in 2015, McDavid has played 10 NHL seasons and remains a top scorer. In the 2025 playoffs, he added 33 points, though Edmonton lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin pointed out the importance of keeping Kaprizov. He said all players are important, but Kaprizov is the franchise player.

"Kirill is our franchise player, and keeping him was extremely important," Guerin said, via NHL.com. "There's a lot more to it than maybe some of the other ones, but it doesn't mean they're not important. But, yeah, this was a big one. This is the biggest one in franchise history, for sure."

In 2024-25, Kaprizov scored 25 goals and 31 assists in the regular season and added five goals and four assists in six playoff games. He averaged more than 22 minutes per game in the regular season and over 23 in the playoffs. Drafted 135th overall in 2015, Kaprizov has grown into Minnesota’s top offensive player.

Connor McDavid says he’s taking time on new Oilers contract

In the first week of September, Connor McDavid talked about his future with the Edmonton Oilers. He said he is taking his time to decide on a new contract. His current eight-year, $100 million deal ends after the 2025-26 season. McDavid wants a contract that is fair and also gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

“I put everything I have into this and deserve to be paid what I feel is fair,” he said, via NHL.com.

He also noted the challenge of balancing the salary cap with his goal to win. McDavid wants to plan carefully for himself and his family. He said:

“You only get one chance to do it and to do it right.”

He remains focused on the season and believes Edmonton still has a strong core to compete.