Connor McDavid Annual Salary and Contract Terms
Connor McDavid's current NHL contract with the Edmonton Oilers pays him a base salary of $12.5 million per season through the 2025–26 season, according to the latest NHL salary filings and team disclosures. This makes him one of the highest-paid players in professional hockey, with total cash compensation closely tracking the league's maximum allowable salary cap figure for a single player. His cap hit is also $12.5 million, which is the same as his base salary because the contract contains no front-loading or back-loading incentives that would shift the annual charge, as reported in the league's official salary cap summary.
The contract was signed in the summer of 2017 and includes a full no-movement clause, giving McDavid control over any potential trade or relocation. The deal runs through the end of the 2025–26 NHL season, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent if both sides do not agree to a new extension. At $12.5 million per year, his average annual value ranks among the top contracts in the league when compared to other elite centers and franchise players, based on publicly available salary data.
Breakdown of McDavid's Total Annual Earnings
Beyond his base salary, McDavid's total annual earnings include additional compensation streams such as performance bonuses, signing bonus prorations, and off-ice income from endorsements and business ventures. While the exact size of his bonus pool is not fully disclosed, standard NHL contracts of this size typically include limited performance bonuses that are fully guaranteed or count against the cap, as outlined in the NHL's collective bargaining agreement summary.
Endorsements and Business Income
McDavid has signed long-term endorsement deals with major brands such as Adidas and BioSteel, which supplement his NHL salary with additional annual income, though the exact figures are not publicly disclosed. He also has ownership stakes and promotional roles in several business ventures, which are structured through private holding companies and are not required to file detailed public earnings reports like publicly traded corporations do with the SEC.
Comparison With Other Top NHL Earners
McDavid's $12.5 million annual salary places him among the highest earners in the NHL, alongside players such as Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon, whose contracts are also publicly reported through team filings and league salary cap documents. The NHL salary cap for the 2024–25 season is set at $1.55 million per team for a single player's cap hit, which is the maximum allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement, and McDavid's contract sits at that ceiling.
Public Data Sources for Salary Figures
The primary sources for McDavid's salary data include the NHL's official salary cap reports, team financial disclosures required under the collective bargaining agreement, and independent sports financial tracking platforms that aggregate publicly available contract information. These sources are updated each season and provide a reliable, fact-based view of player compensation without relying on estimates or unverified claims.
Further Reading on NHL Contracts and Compensation
For more detailed breakdowns of NHL salary structures, cap rules, and contract terms, readers can refer to the NHL's official salary cap overview and the league's public filings, which are available on the NHL website. Additional context on how elite player contracts compare across major North American sports leagues can be found in financial analyses published by Forbes and other business outlets that cover sports economics.