Connor McDavid Signs Three Year Deal With Oilers

Not that anyone was expecting anything different, but Connor McDavid signed with the Edmonton Oilers today. McDavid, who was the first overall pick in the draft one week ago, signed a three year entry level contract with the Oilers.

McDavid was drafted out of the Erie Otters, where he was third in the league in scoring despite missing time with a broken hand. The 18 year old will earn around $11 million over the course of his first NHL contract.

The deal of $11.3 million is the most a player can earn in an entry level deal. He will make $925,000 per year, and the rest of the money comes from bonuses in the deal.

The new Oilers head coach Todd McLellan is expecting McDavid to make an impact right away, as he told the Edmonton Journal.

“Do I expect Connor McDavid to play here in Edmonton? I do. Let’s get that clear,” McLellan said. “Connor, in the back of his mind, still knows he has to go out and earn it — and he does — but based on his skill set, his past, the high expectations that have been put on him at other levels, he’s been able to attain that.

“We expect him to push for a job here and play on our hockey club.”

“In my dealings with Connor, he’s a very respectful, focused young man. He does things right. He carries himself properly … and that’s a tough thing for an 18-year-old,” said the head coach.

“Then his skill set is remarkable. We do have a responsibility; he has a responsibility to actually improve as time goes forward. I find he’s inquisitive. He wants to know. His eyes are wide open. His ears are open. He wants to learn more.”

Edmonton has gone young for a long time now, but there hasn’t been a hockey prospect quite like McDavid. He will be expected to be a major part of the roster right away and make a scoring impact.

“Pressure is something I’ve been dealing with for a long time and it’s something I’m comfortable with, but this is a whole different monster to deal with,” said McDavid to the Edmonton Journal. “It’s a bigger step. This isn’t junior hockey anymore. This isn’t even the world juniors. It’s the NHL. There’s a whole lot more going on.”