The biggest weight Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has now been lifted as he was able to sign an extension for his captain, Connor McDavid.
This means that his most important core pieces are locked in for at least the next two or three seasons and beyond. McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are all signed through the 2027-28 season. This gives the club enough stability but also enough flexibility to compete for the next few seasons without being potentially anchored down to aging players.
Outside of their big names, there are only a select few depth pieces that are not signed beyond this year; newly signed Jack Roslovic, Adam Henrique, Kasperi Kapanen, David Tomasek, Curtis Lazar, and Noah Philp are the only forwards currently on the NHL roster whose contracts do not extend beyond July 1st, 2026.