Given the makeup of their squad, the Edmonton Oilers have one of the most unusual salary cap outlooks in the NHL. The team’s recent contracts with James Neal, Milan Lucic, Jack Campbell, and other players have been disastrous on several occasions. They have, nevertheless, also had some excellent discounts. When the 2024–25 season begins, which five players have the most favorable contracts for the team?

The remaining term, AAV, clauses, and the player’s position on the team are used to rate the contracts. On the list, players with just one year remaining were not included.

5. Viktor Arvidsson (twice as much at $4 million)
The Oilers inked Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract this offseason for $4 million (AAV). The 31-year-old winger was signed for a lesser AAV than other free agents like Sean Monahan, Alex Wennberg, and Vladimir Tarasenko. He has a goal and assist potential of over 70. Simply put, this is a great contract, and supporters should be eager to watch Arvidsson’s performance this season in the team’s top six. He has the potential to be one of the most team-friendly deals in recent NHL history if he can maintain his health for the duration of the contract.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (4 times the AAV of $5.125 million)
In addition to his seven goals and 22 points in 25 playoff games with the Oilers the previous season, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has scored 55 goals and 171 points in his last 164 regular season games. All the while, he has played solid defense on the penalty kill as well as at even strength.

In contrast, centers like Andrew Copp, Chandler Stephenson, J.T. Compher, Brayden Schenn, and Elias Lindholm earn more money per year than Nugent-Hopkins. In addition to being a good deal, Nugent-Hopkins’ skill set and adaptability have allowed the Oilers greater options in the top six. Even with a 104-point season two years ago, his ability to play both center and wing, dominate special teams, and accumulate enormous minutes has made him a highly undervalued NHL forward.

3. Two-time $12.5 million AAV player Connor McDavid
Even with his $12.5 million AAV, Connor McDavid is one of the best contracts with the Oilers. He might be the best, to be completely honest. It is already a bargain to get the world’s best player for a price below the maximum contract, so it is astounding that he signed for $5.1 million AAV less than the maximum. Naturally, players in the NHL do not currently demand the highest wage, as they do in the NBA, but McDavid certainly could have, and many teams would have complied with his demands. He was a restricted free agent, of course, but this agreement would still have stood even if he had reached unrestricted free agency.

As of right now, Auston Matthews ($13.25 million AAV) and Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million AAV) are the two NHL players making the most money, ahead of McDavid. Regardless of perspective, McDavid’s $12.5 million AAV salary is a terrific value and would be rated higher were it not for the Oilers’ numerous other team-friendly contracts.

2. The two-time $2.6 million AAV Stuart Skinner
Whatever you think of Stuart Skinner, he has become one of the league’s better starting goalies very rapidly. During the previous season, the 25-year-old had a 36-16-5 record, a 2.62 goals against average (GAA), and a.905 save percentage (SV%). He had a 14-9-0 record with a 2.45 GAA and a.901 SV% in the playoffs.

These figures are hardly remarkable, of course, but considering Skinner’s dismal start to the regular season, he recovered very nicely. In the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, he recorded two one-goal and two two-goal games. Without his heroics, the Oilers surely would not have advanced to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

1. Zach Hyman (4 times the AAV of $5.5 million)
There isn’t much to say about Zach Hyman. The 32-year-old scored 16 goals in 25 postseason games after tallying 54 goals in the previous campaign. He has been an excellent complement to McDavid’s line and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Although McDavid has contributed to Hyman’s success, some have attempted to downplay his achievements by pointing out that scoring 50 goals is a tremendous feat regardless of one’s linemates. After six seasons of searching, the Oilers finally discovered Hyman in the 2021 offseason as the ideal linemate for Connor McDavid.

The on-ice output of the Oilers indicates that they have improved from being among the worst salary-constrained clubs in the league to one of the best. It will be interesting to see how the team bounces back from last season’s poor finish, with practically the whole core of deals being fair or team-friendly.