Chris Pronger gives his honest opinion on Connor McDavid's team-friendly 2-year, $25 million Oilers contract extension

Connor McDavid rattled the hockey world on Oct. 6th, 2025, when the Oilers captain announced his decision to sign a 2-year, $ 25 million (12.5 million AAV) contract extension. Hockey experts projected the 28-year-old superstar's contract to be worth $20 million AAV, but the Oilers captain wanted to leave money on the table for the organization to be able to build a contending team around him.

Retired NHLer and ex-Oiler Chris Pronger received a lot of flak from Oilers fanbase in 2006, for his decision to demand a trade out of Edmonton, due to personal reasons. Accoring to a 2008 Edmonton Journal report, Chris Pronger's wife, Lauren, could not adjust to life in the city of Edmonton and did not live in Edmonton for majority of the 2005-06 season. She had reportedly moved to St. Louis with the couples' children.

Chris Pronger gave his opinion on Connor McDavid's team-friendly contract extension with the Oilers, during his appearance on the Never Offside podcast, alongside his wife.

"That makes more sense. He's looking at the window that they have. As the generational player of this era, his legacy will not be cemented if he doesn't win a Stanley Cup. I think he's trying to be fluid, he believes in the current team, and then he'll re-evaluate in two years, and see what happens in that final year, and whether he re-ups or says, 'I have to have a Stanley Cup, and I don't think we can win here'. Or, they win one and then he signs another multi-year deal," said Pronger.

Connor McDavid and the Oilers' hunt for the Stanley Cup did not get off to a great start, after they squandered a 3-0 lead in an eventual shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on opening night. The Oilers captain had two assists during regulation time, but missed his penalty shot against Flames' Dustin Wolf.

Also read: Oilers fans rip Stuart Skinner for goaltending blunder that wiped 3-0 lead vs. Flames : "Did he have a stroke?"

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"Lenny is not going to go hungry": Connor McDavid jokes about signing a team-friendly $12.5 million AAV Oilers extension

Connor McDavid could have re-signed a max eight year contract extension with an AAV of much more than $12.5 million, but he choose to sign a short-term deal with the same AAV as his current deal. When asked why he chose not to demand a higher AAV, the franchise captain joked,

"[My dog] Lenny is not going to go hungry with that money, so we’ll be fine. It’s about winning and that’s always what I preached, and I think this deal gives both sides what we’re looking for.”

According to celebritynetworth, Connor McDavid has an estimated net worth of $70 million dollars, as of Oct. 7 2025.

Also read: "It's become a part of my world": Connor McDavid's wife Lauren opens up on how her relationship with hockey has evolved

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Edited by Srihari Anand