Top NHL insider reports McDavid's new lower salary demand

Of course, there have been many reports written about what McDavid will do, for how long and for how much, running the full spectrum from short-term, long-tern, or no term even.

Elliotte Friedman also reported that some executives around the league believe McDavid's extension, if he does finally sign Edmonton, could be around the $15.5M range, instead of the $17M, or more.

Teams, however, are considering the snowball effect of a low AAV, one that would benefit them when they sign there own top-players. If McDavid, the best player in hockey today, signs for less, teams can, and likely will, use his number as the benchmark in other negotiations.

Convincing NHL GMs to pay more than what Connor McDavid will sign for is a difficult sell, even with a rising salary cap. One executive reportedly told Friedman that teams are hoping McDavid signs quickly so they can use his figure as leverage in talks with other players.

Pending free agents Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, and others will likely be affected by Connor's next AAV, and are in fact being affected now, as they hold-off on their new deals until his decision is made.

But if McDavid's contract falls below a certain threshold, agents may struggle to argue their clients deserve more.

Friedman also pointed out the Oilers' internal cap-structure. Leon Draisaitl is secured at $14M AAV, Evan Bouchard at $10.5M, and Darnell Nurse at $9.25M. If McDavid's new number rises significantly beyond his teammates', it could very well create an internal imbalance.