With the Edmonton Oilers’ bid to avenge their 2024 Stanley Cup final loss coming to a depressing end, all eyes are now on their superstars. With the cap-strapped team needing to retain multiple high-profile players, everyone is worried about what it will take to renew Connor McDavid’s contract. Unfortunately, the team captain has poured water on those who wanted to see a quick resolution.

“It’s only been a couple of days since the season ended; I’m going to take some time to regroup,” McDavid said on Thursday regarding his contract extension. “I’m going to talk to my agent a little bit and family and all that, and make some decisions whenever that time comes. But there’s no rush on anything like that,” he added as per an NHL.com report. However, NHL reporter Jason Gregor believes the delay isn’t something to worry about.

“My thoughts on McDavid’s next contract. I wouldn’t fret about him not signing right away. Draisaitl didn’t sign until September 3rd,” the Jason Gregor Show host wrote on X. While the NHL forward did take his sweet time, in September 2024, he signed a historic 8-year, $112 million contract with a whopping $14 million AAV. Now, Gregor believes that McDavid will breach the $15 million milestone.

“I expect McDavid will sign. I won’t be surprised to see a shorter term of around five years. AAV in $15.5-$16m range,” he wrote on X. McDavid is already on a $12.5 million AAV contract, and his stock will go up despite the loss. Now, you may be questioning how the NHL reporter is confident that McDavid would sign a shorter contract this time. The podcast host explained that he had looked into the “history of his (McDavid’s) agent“ before drawing his conclusions.

With Connor McDavid’s longtime agent Jeff Jackson joining the Oilers as President of Hockey Operations in 2023, Judd Moldaver took over as his agent. While Moldaver has brokered long-term deals, many of his notable deals, like Auston Matthews’ 2024 extension, are shorter at 4 years. It’s a similar story for Connor Garland, Max Domi, and more. However, the final decision lies with McDavid, and the team captain has some conditions.

Connor McDavid alludes to unfinished business

The 4 Nations Face-Off winner’s offensive line partner, Leon Draisaitl, backed up what McDavid said to the media. The $14 million AAV player explained that he didn’t get the chance to talk to McDavid about the contract extension. “There will come a time where we talk about it,” Draisaitl told the media. Thankfully, the Canadian hockey icon did reveal some key clues.

“Winning would be at the top of the list,” McDavid told reporters about his inevitable contract negotiations. “Winning is the most important thing. If I feel there’s a good window to win here over and over again, then signing is no problem,” added the 28-year-old. The five-time Art Ross Trophy winner has won just about every NHL honor under the sun, except the Stanley Cup.

While he’s made it to the finals twice in a row now, winning it is the next step. “We’re all in this together, trying to get it over that finish line… There is unfinished business here, yeah,” said Connor McDavid. However, it’s not like the three-time NHL MVP will sacrifice everything for a shot to win the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.

“Ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family, and that’s who I have to take care of first,” said Connor McDavid. Once again, Leon Draisaitl backed this up, saying that McDavid and his family’s future will be another key element during negotiations before he signs on that dotted line. Yet, at least for now, it seems McDavid will sign a record-breaking contract with the Oilers.