NHL Rumors: After Connor McDavid and Jake Walman, Oilers eye $25M star defenseman for contract extension

The Edmonton Oilers got some major business done on Monday by extending captain Connor McDavid and defenseman Jake Walman. But another blueliner, Mattias Ekholm, could be next.

McDavid’s extension, set for two years at $12.5 million, the same salary as he earned in his previous contract, is regarded as the biggest deal in the NHL. That situation allowed the Oilers to sign Walman to a seven-year, $49 million contract.

But it doesn’t seem like the Oilers will stop there. The next player on the docket for an extension could be Mattias Ekholm. Insider Elliotte Friedman ventured to predict Ekholm could be next in the latest edition of this 32 Thoughts blog.

Friedman wrote:

“Next up could be Ekholm, who desires to stay. I’m getting mixed messages on whether it will be a short-term deal or something modelled on Chris Tanev to spread out the cap hit.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed a then-34-year-old Chris Tanev to a six-year, $27 million contract last offseason. The deal drew plenty of criticism as most observers considered that Tanev would not play long enough to see the end of his six-year deal.

But the consensus was that the Leafs could sign Tanev for that long in order to keep his cap hit low.

In Ekholm’s case, he’s in the final year of a four-year, $25 million deal originally signed with the Nashville Predators. He’s 35, so it could make sense to see the Oilers sign Ekholm to a long-term deal just to keep his cap hit manageable moving forward.

Mattias Ekholm could follow Connor McDavid’s lead

Given Connor McDavid’s selfless approach to his contract negotiations, Mattias Ekholm could follow suit. Instead of demanding a huge payday, Ekholm could decide to take a similar deal as his current one to remain in Edmonton and have a chance to win.

Players like Mattias Ekholm and Connor McDavid often take lower paydays just to remain with a winning team. NHL fans saw something similar occur in Florida with Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Sam Bennett.

That’s why Mattias Ekholm could look at Connor McDavid’s attitude as the confirmation he needs to sign a team-friendly deal and remain in Edmonton for the foreseeable future. It’s tough to envision another team that could offer a better shot a winning a Stanley Cup than Edmonton at this point.

So, fans should be surprised to see the Oilers and Mattias Ekholm agree on a long-term deal with a lower AAV to keep costs down and maximize the team's chances of winning.