Connor McDavid signed a two year extension with the Edmonton Oilers worth 25 million total and 12.5 million per season, keeping the star center under contract through at least the 2027-28 window. The deal preserves his 12.5 million cap hit while extending his tenure in Edmonton after he was nearing free agency following the 2025-26 season. Edmonton opens 2025-26 vs Calgary with McDavid locked in for the near term, signaling stability as the team pursues a deep playoff run.

Market context shows McDavid joining a crowded top earners list by cap hit, with Draisaitl at 14M and Matthews at 13.25M among the league leaders. The largest NHL contracts all time are Kirill Kaprizov at 136M over eight years and Ovechkin at 124M over 13 years, underscoring McDavid’s position among the truly elite players even as the Oilers negotiate long term. The extension comes after reported talks from well respected insiders and caps off a narrative of Edmonton prioritizing McDavid as the franchise cornerstone.

Fantasy impact centers on McDavid’s continued supremacy and the Oilers’ ability to build around him. With McDavid and Draisaitl anchored, Edmonton remains a favorable environment for big point outputs, while the two year frame keeps options flexible for future roster moves. Expect McDavid to drive Shooting and Points upside while the Oilers manage cap flexibility for supporting pieces around him.

Igor Shesterkin’s decline over three seasons makes or breaks the Rangers’ 2025-26 hopes. The eight-year, $92M commitment hinges on him reclaiming the elite form that carried New York to playoff runs, even as the team’s defensive structure gets a major overhaul under Mike Sullivan. Gavrikov’s arrival aims to stabilize the blue line and let Shesterkin steal fewer games. Camp buzz around the kids and veteran cores adds optimism, but strategy and health will drive the season.

New coach Sullivan emphasizes perimeter play and stronger zone coverage, while Gavrikov and Fox anchor the top pairing. Panarin’s health, Miller’s leadership, and Lafreniere’s bounce-back are key headlines, but the upside still rests on Shesterkin turning saves into wins with improved team defense and depth pieces such as Perreault, Laba, and Morrow pushing for roles.

Mike Sullivan arrives in New York with a Cup pedigree and a mission: install discipline, structure, and postseason toughness to turn a talent-rich Rangers roster into a true title contender. The Garden becomes the proving ground as New York opens October 7 against Pittsburgh and piles up marquee dates that test depth, defense, and resilience. Panarin, Zibanejad, Fox, and Shesterkin pace a season built on accountability and continued growth, with Sullivan chasing a playoff fortress in Madison Square Garden.

Roslovic turned down Edmonton’s multi-year offer, chasing a bigger deal and a better fit elsewhere. Panarin could become Wild bait in free agency, and Kaprizov’s camp says add-ons will come. Expansion chatter hints Atlanta, Houston, and Arizona markets in the next three years. Ducks’ prospect pool—LaCombe, Mintyukov, Zellweger, Solberg, Hinds—gives Anaheim depth. Luke Hughes and Quinn Hughes floated the idea of someday playing together, a budding dynasty thread.

The piece threads injuries and rumors into roster moves, with a focus on how these moves could shift fantasy value across the NHL landscape and bolster cap and depth conversations for 2025.