NHL Rumors: Analyst suspects Connor McDavid spoke with Sidney Crosby before accepting hometown discount for new contract

The Edmonton Oilers announced Monday that captain Connor McDavid signed a two-year, $25 million contract. He gave the team a big discount as he kept the average annual value at just $12.5 million, the same as his $100 million contract. Additionally, that's $4.5 million less than Kirill Kaprizov, and $1.5 million less than his teammate Leon Draisaitl.

This choice came even though the NHL salary cap has increased. The deal will start in the 2026–27 season, when the salary cap is expected to rise to $104 million. His decision started a talk that he signed for less to help the Oilers management, to build a strong team around him.

Hockey analyst Jim Matheson shared his opinion on X after the deal was announced. He said he suspects Connor McDavid spoke with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby before deciding, since Crosby cared more about winning than money.

"Suspect very strongly McDavid chatted with Crosby about money vs winning," Matheson wrote. "Sid was way underpaid at $8.7m even when cap was much lower. He didn’t care so much about $$$. He wanted to win in Pittsburgh. McDavid leaving lots on table to sign free agents next July 1"

Sidney Crosby signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract with the Penguins in September 2024. His contract has an $8.7 million average annual value, the same as his past deals. Crosby has earned that amount every season since 2008–09.

Even Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Crosby made a personal sacrifice to help his team win.

"Sid is making a tremendous personal sacrifice in an effort to help the Penguins win, both now and in the future, as he has done for his entire career," Dubas said in September 2024.

Connor McDavid is committed to win in Edmonton

Sidney Crosby has always been known for his leadership and loyalty to Pittsburgh. Now, Connor McDavid seems to be showing a similar attitude in Edmonton. In his late August comments about his contract, his commitment to win in Edmonton was clear.

"All options are on the table, really," McDavid said, via NHL.com. "... I don't have a preference either way. I want to the group to be as focused and dialed in and ready to roll from Day 1 as much as possible, and we don't need any distractions."

Connor McDavid has helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final twice. However, it has ended in disappointment after losing to the Florida Panthers in both seasons. Now, his lower salary could help the Oilers keep their roster strong to compete. It shows his focus on team success over personal gain.

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Edited by Ankit Kumar