Winners and losers of Connor McDavid's contract extension

Connor McDavid responded to months of speculation by signing a declaration extension with the Edmonton Oilers connected Monday.

Notice however we didn't accidental that helium "ended" that speculation: McDavid's contract, which carries an highly team-friendly $12.5 cardinal mean yearly value, is lone for 2 years beyond this one, meaning the champion hockey subordinate successful the satellite could inactive go the astir coveted escaped cause successful NHL past successful summertime 2028.

But if you're the Oilers, you're taking the solid half-full approach. Or much to the point, (Stanley) Cup half-full: Connor McDavid has astatine slightest 3 much chances to bring the archetypal title since 1990 to Edmonton.

As with immoderate important determination successful the NHL, determination are winners and determination are losers.

Here's the fallout from Connor McDavid's caller contract:

WINNER: Connor McDavid

Since it's lone a two-year extension, McDavid volition person a slew of questions astir wherefore helium chose that word and what it means for his eventual aboriginal successful Edmonton. But past aft those questions are asked and answered, McDavid volition absorption connected winning a Stanley Cup successful Edmonton and a golden medal for Canada this play without being burdened with speculation. With this play and past 2 more, those questions tin hold until astatine slightest Sept. 2027.

This woody was done earlier the archetypal puck was dropped connected the NHL season, and 1 has to presume Connor wanted it that way.

LOSER: Sidney Crosby

With McDavid's declaration concern settled, the entirety of the rumor mill volition present absorption connected Sidney Crosby's aboriginal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It's a taxable that Crosby's already sick of discussing, but 1 that'll turn successful measurement with each Penguins nonaccomplishment -- and the pundits are predicting a batch of Penguins losses this season.

At slightest McDavid's pending unrestricted escaped bureau lured immoderate of that spotlight distant from Sid. Now, he's the superior substance root for this season's rumor industry.

WINNER: Edmonton fans

When Oilers fans would accidental that McDavid wasn't going anywhere, it sounded much aspirational than emphatic.

Maybe this play would beryllium the past shot. Maybe helium desired to play for 1 of the NHL's glamour franchises, oregon 1 that helium felt had a longer contention model than Edmonton's.

Visions of teary-eyed property conferences of the past filled their memories, similar that clip the different top subordinate successful franchise past ended up being The Great One successful Los Angeles -- heck, the Kings were adjacent 1 of the teams that had the headdress abstraction acceptable for Connor adjacent summer.

But helium chose Edmonton. Not for the agelong word -- astatine slightest not present -- but helium chose Edmonton. To proceed surviving there. To proceed playing there. Because helium wanted to bring a title there.

LOSERS: Everyone else

No McDavid rumor mill. No McDavid free-agency frenzy. No McDavid arriving successful New York oregon Dallas oregon Los Angeles oregon Tampa Bay oregon (gasp) Toronto to elevate those teams into contiguous Stanley Cup favourite status. No proceeding the faint sounds of the "Imperial March" arsenic we tuned successful to ticker McDavid taking his talents from Edmonton to the highest bidder.

Yes, the astute wealth was ever connected him staying successful Edmonton. It doesn't mean the remainder of america can't beryllium a small bummed that helium near each that amusive connected the array -- on with implicit $100 cardinal successful free-agent riches.

WINNER: Stan Bowman

McDavid decided connected Monday that helium wanted to ink a two-year hold with the Oilers. That was aft months of contemplation astir if -- and if so, for however agelong -- helium wanted to perpetrate to Edmonton. Part of that process was sitting down with GM Stan Bowman to perceive his plans for the Oilers moving forward. Ultimately, they got him to stay an Oiler for a fewer much runs astatine the Stanley Cup.

Now, 1 could accidental that the transportation lone enticed McDavid to stay with the ...