With the signing of Leon Draisaitl to become the NHL’s highest paid athlete in 2025-26, Edmonton Oilers fans have taken the news with cautious optimism. Yes, they need the German superstar, just as much as he needs them during a deep run into the spring. However, Oiler fans don’t want to fall into the situation that the Toronto Maple Leaf fans feel subjected to regularly. The feeling that they pay so much to their top players, given this era of the salary cap world, that they don’t have enough to pay the supporting cast. Well, we are here to break it all down, and maybe let Oiler fans rest easy, that it’s not like their counterparts in ‘the Six.’
Analyzing the Edmonton Oilers Salary Cap Beyond 2024-25
Even though the estimates are from the past, the consensus is the NHL salary cap increases to around $92 million for 2025-26. This benefits these top teams, like Toronto and Edmonton that have to pay their superstars. Moreover, let’s not forget that the NHL’s CBA is due for renewal after 2025-26, but that’s a discussion for another day. If superstars are being paid $14 million, as long as they can still pay the bottom-six guys, ultimately the players should be happy. The question may shift to the lucrative TV contract, and the bottom-line of whether or not Gary Bettman and the owners feel they’re in the black.
Let’s focus in on the Edmonton Oilers, starting with some of the known variables in this process. In terms of the 2025-26 season, the Oilers have many of the top minute players under contract. Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Viktor Arvidsson among the forward group are all signed. Those four forwards account for $27.125 million against the cap. Luckily, players like Hyman and RNH are under what would be considered value contracts. In all, including Draisaitl, they have $51.7 million assigned to nine forwards. This includes Evander Kane’s $5.125 million, but he would filter into the unknown category.
The Oilers Stars Are Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Sticking with the knowns and looking at the defence and goalies, there are positives there too. Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and Stuart Skinner are all locked in until the end of the 2025-26 campaign. In any case, around $23.5 million is accounted for among the group, given the current personnel. This leads us to the next category, the abyss, the unknown.
What About the Unknowns
Besides the major unknown of the expiring CBA, before that, after 2024-25, the Oilers do have a couple question marks. There are some free agents like Jeff Skinner and Connor Brown, whose value will be determined by the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Furthermore, two contracts will weigh heavily on general manager Stan Bowman’sdecision making. Those being the aforementioned, Kane, as well as that of Evan Bouchard. Kane’s health needs to be made certain before the Oilers can decide whether to trade him or utilize long-term injury reserve, if that is even an option. As for Evan Bouchard, given his emergence as a top-pairing D-man, on a Stanley Cup contender, he will command somewhere in the $8-10 million range. So, does this put the Edmonton Oilers in salary cap trouble for the start of the 2025-26 campaign?
The short answer appears to be no. Why? They have just over $75 M committed to 16 rostered players. Also, you must include the $2.3 M allocated to the Jack Campbell buyout. That lands us at about $77.4 M with the estimated increased cap of $92 M. There are some prospects that are on ELCs under $1 M like Matthew Savoie and James Hamblin who will challenge for those additional roster spots. Therefore, even including Kane’s contract, there’s about $13 M for Bouchard, and five more players. Is money tight? Yes. However, all your big guns are under contract.
The Edmonton Oilers and Number 97 Are Looking Good
In the end, we are discussing the 2025-26 season, and the 2024-25 season hasn’t even started. Besides, it appears the Oilers are comfortable until the summer of 2026. The unnerving part in Oil country is really about their leader, number 97, Connor McDavid. It’s fitting really when you think about the dependence of the face of the NHL’s contract on the CBA. Draisaitl makes a lot with his $14 M a year contract, but he doesn’t really approach the maximum. Currently, the max contract, which is 20% of the salary cap, so $17.6 M. If anyone deserves that amount, you’d think it would be McDavid. Therefore, if McDavid comes in anywhere from $16 M or under, he is technically a bargain. So, let’s just enjoy the upcoming season before we decide whether or not to worry in Oil country.
Main Photo: Jim Rassol – USA Today Sports
