Elliotte Friedman Drops Unexpected Prediction on the Salary Cap Next Year: McDavid's Deal Even More Stunning

After months and months of predictions over Connor McDavid's future in the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers captain managed to shock everyone when he inked a two-year extension worth just $12.5 million per season after many speculated that he could have earned well over $18 million a year.

This comes as even more of a surprise after Kirill Kaprizov signed a deal worth $17 million annually just days before, and now, the move has become even more shocking after the latest report from Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast about the immediate future of the NHL's salary cap.

Heading into the 2025/26 regular season, the salary cap for teams sits firmly at $95.5 million, and while we know it's set to rise moving forward, Friedman reports that it's going much higher than anyone expected.

While it's no guarantee, Friedman, the NHL's top reporter who is often the first on any major breaking news has revealed the cap could jump by almost $12 million, and given that McDavid was set to be a free agent in the summer, he's potentially sacrificed as much as $7.5 million per season.

Ultimately though, as the captain has stated, he's set financially and this move was all about helping the Oilers to a Stanley Cup, so while this potential salary cap rise will help everyone in the NHL, it will help the Oilers more than anyone after McDavid's shocking discount.