Oilers will be locked into controversial salary cap feature after McDavid's contract extension
Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
The Edmonton Oilers are set to push the limits of the NHL's salary cap system by paying their core 4 players close to 50% of the cap - a strategy that's been ineffective in the past.
The NHL's salary cap is still set to rise rapidly in the next few years, and there's even reports that McDavid will be receptive to another salary discount on his next deal. However, the Oilers will still have a ton of cash tied up in just a few star players.
Connor McDavid contract extension will take Oilers near 50% of salary cap spent on top 4 players
When the Toronto Maple Leafs paid up massive contracts to their core 4 players, plenty of hockey fans questioned whether they could build a championship roster with such little cap flexibility. Turns out, the doubters were right - Toronto hasn't been close to a Cup.
Analyst David Staples of the Edmonton Journal took a dive into the numbers, and found that it is exceedingly rare that championship teams pay star players more than 45% of the cap. The most recent team was nearly 10 years ago in Pittsburgh.
In those 20 years, just three teams have paid their Top Four more than 45 per cent of the cap and gone on to win the Stanley Cup, Anaheim in 2007 at 47.1 per cent, Detroit in 2008 at 47.3 per cent and Pittsburgh in 2016, 45.2 per cent.
- David Staples
- David Staples
The Oilers have been incredibly fortunate to have nearly their entire core on discount deals in their careers. That's changing now with Draisaitl and Bouchard's rate climbing a combined $12.1M, and McDavid will be getting a significant raise shortly after.
Starting this season, the Oilers core 4 cap percentage will be higher than any other Cup Winning team in NHL history - and it will increase more after McDavid's deal.
This year, Edmonton's Top Four will take up 48.4 per cent of the $95.5 million cap.
That is a higher percentage than any team that's ever won the Cup under the cap system. And that high percentage comes before any new contract that McDavid signs kicks in.
- David Staples
That is a higher percentage than any team that's ever won the Cup under the cap system. And that high percentage comes before any new contract that McDavid signs kicks in.
- David Staples
This may not bode well for the Oilers, but really, it will just be a challenge for the team to manage.
Winning a cup will never be impossible with Connor McDavid, but the Oilers will need to be ruthless in their cap management to get the most of every dollar elsewhere on their roster.
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