Unexpected news regarding Connor McDavid's future in Edmonton revealed by NHL insider

Bob Stauffer just shifted that conversation entirely.

Stauffer, the Oilers' radio analyst and one of the most connected voices inside the organization, appeared on FAN 590 and delivered a message that should reshape how fans view McDavid's future.

According to Stauffer, McDavid will be wearing an Oilers jersey for a long, long time - potentially seven additional years on top of the two-year, $25 million extension that begins in 2026-27.

That timeline would keep McDavid in Edmonton through the 2034-35 season, when he would be 37 years old.

Nine total years of term is a commitment that goes well beyond a player simply testing the waters.

McDavid's current $12.5 million AAV was widely viewed as a sacrifice designed to pressure management into building a winner.

What gets lost is how dramatically the NHL's salary cap is climbing. The ceiling sits at $95.5 million in 2025-26, jumps to $104 million next season, and reaches $113.5 million by 2027-28.

Projections from player agent Allan Walsh peg the 2028-29 cap at approximately $123 million.

A seven-year extension signed in that window could carry an AAV north of $17 million while consuming a smaller percentage of the cap than McDavid's original deal did in 2017.

Edmonton would have generational talent locked in at a relatively shrinking cost.

The Oilers are reportedly closing in on Mike Babcock as their next head coach, a hire that only makes sense if the organization believes McDavid is staying long-term.

You do not bring in a Stanley Cup-winning coach to manage a two-year audition. You bring him in to build something lasting.

Stauffer's words carry weight because of his proximity to the franchise. If McDavid's camp were signaling an exit, that message would not be coming from inside the building.