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Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid secured his future in Alberta this week, inking a two-year $25 million contract extension on Monday that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 NHL season.
Just hours after the announcement, McDavid’s wife Lauren Kyle took to Instagram to share a thoughtful surprise the couple received from teammate Leon Draisaitl and his partner Celeste Desjardins.
Lauren posted a photo of a gorgeous floral arrangement accompanied by a heartfelt note congratulating McDavid on the milestone. She tagged both Draisaitl and Desjardins in the story, adding a teary-eyed emoji to show her appreciation for the gesture.
“Congratulations! 2 extra years with our favourite people. We love you guys . Let’s win this thing! Love, Cel, Leon and Bobo,” read the original note.
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Lauren also reposted a season hype reel originally shared by OilersNation showing McDavid in a cinematic montage as Edmonton gears up for the 2025-26 campaign.
“Season couldn’t start any sooner! Go Oilers!!” Lauren captioned the clip with blue and orange heart emojis.
McDavid’s decision to sign a shorter two-year extension at a flat $12.5 million average annual value surprised many around the league with analysts noting he could have commanded the NHL’s highest salary. The move was viewed as both team-friendly and strategic giving the Oilers more flexibility under the salary cap.
Connor McDavid makes his thoughts clear about signing short-term extension
Connor McDavid spoke to the media on Tuesday about his decision to sign the two-year contract extension with the team. The deal maintains his current salary level but keeps his future beyond 2028 open.
McDavid explained that the shorter term was intentional saying it allows both him and the organization flexibility while keeping the Oilers’ championship window intact.
“Two years makes a lot of sense,” he said. “It gives us a chance to keep chasing what we’ve been building here with our core group, and it leaves a little bit of room to work with financially. I think the deal works for both sides.”
The Oilers star acknowledged that it’s not a typical approach for a player of his stature but stressed that the structure fit the situation.
“We weren’t going to do a long-term deal right now, so two years at this number just made sense,” he explained.
McDavid also emphasized that the focus remains on winning. He added a light-hearted remark that his dog Leonard "won’t be going hungry" with the new contract, but quickly turned back to the team’s priorities.
“It’s about winning, and that’s always been the goal.”
After leading the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, McDavid enters the 2025-26 season determined to finish the job with a roster that has grown around him.
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