Connor McDavid’s future with the Edmonton Oilers is looking a bit uncertain right now. His incredible performance on the ice is impressive, but he’s also at a point in his career where some big decisions might be coming up. As he heads into the last year of his eight-year, $100 million deal that wraps up in July 2026, the 28-year-old superstar has made it pretty clear: he’s in no rush to sign a long-term commitment with Edmonton.

“It’s only been a couple of days since the season ended, I’m going to take some time to regroup. 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,” McDavid mentioned right after the Oilers faced their second straight Stanley Cup Final loss to the Panthers.

The #97 has definitely got strong ties to Edmonton, but there’s still some uncertainty about what the future holds for him with the Oilers. Besides Connor McDavid, it seems there’s some exciting news about another player from Edmonton. On X, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared, stating, “The long-rumoured Trent Frederic extension should be finalized today in Edmonton. Expecting 8 years, just under $4M AAV.”

This commitment is a big step for Edmonton, particularly for a player who had a smaller role in last season’s playoffs. Frederic, who came over from Boston at the trade deadline, played just one regular-season game before getting back to full health for the playoffs. He ended up making a solid contribution with four points in 22 games as the team made a deep run in the Cup Final. Now that Frederic’s future with the Oilers is all but assured, McDavid still has a significant opportunity.

Connor McDavid might benefit from the upcoming CBA

Connor McDavid is really going to gain a lot from the new CBA, especially with how it’s changing contract dynamics and the salary cap situation. So, the new revision is cutting down the re-signing deals to a max of seven years, which is down from eight. And for new teams, it’s set at six years. This change gives McDavid a bit more freedom. Instead of tying himself down to an eight-year deal that might put him at a higher cap percentage as he gets older, he can choose a shorter contract.

This way, he can renegotiate when he’s at his best, possibly getting even more value down the line. The biggest perk, though, is the exciting salary cap growth we’re expecting in the next few years. It looks like it could jump from about $88 million now to more than $100 million by 2026–27 and maybe even hit $113.5 million by 2027–28. Being a generational talent, McDavid’s contract is probably going to be at the max—around 20% of the cap, which means he’s looking at over $20 million a year.

Basically, with shorter contract terms, a rapidly rising salary cap, and clear structures in place, McDavid has a fantastic opportunity ahead of him. He can really boost his earning potential with shorter commitments, take advantage of the growing league finances, and get clear, front-loaded compensation.