Auston Matthews' $53,000,000 deal reminds one of Connor McDavid's telling update on Oilers future

With the Toronto Maple Leafs signing hockey center Auston Matthews through 2027-28 to a four-year $53 million contract, NHL fans have been shocked by the recent comments of Oilers’ Connor McDavid regarding his future with the team.

Auston Matthews will earn $13.25 million in salary, which will be effective from July of 2024, making him the highest-paid hockey player.

Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers captain, is the second highest-paid athlete in the hockey realm until this season. With three years left in his existing contract with the Oilers, the 26-year-old hockey center dropped hints recently about changing his team after the ending of his current contract.

Connor McDavid’s words evidently portrayed his respect for the Oilers. His never-ending loyalty towards his team has been witnessed by the NHL fans since he was chosen in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft with the first overall pick. McDavid said:

“I love playing in Edmonton, and I really feel at home there. Lauren loves being in Edmonton. There are a lot – a lot of things that check the boxes for us in Edmonton. We are super comfortable there.”

Connor McDavid added:

“But with that all being said, it’s three years down the road. We’ve got to kind of see where our lives are at and kind of go from there.”

The Oilers captain, however, did not want to make the NHL fans anxious for his comments. He comforted the hockey community by saying:

“I don’t say that to raise eyebrows or cause panic. It’s just the way that it is. But I love playing in Edmonton, I’m 100 per cent committed to winning in Edmonton with this group. And we’re gonna see it through.”

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When Craig Button compared the Chicago Blackhawks hockey star to Connor McDavid

NHL expert Craig Button said the 18-year-old Connor Bedard should be placed ahead of NHL’s big name Connor McDavid. Button praised both players for their outstanding performances and eventually named Bedard, the most dominant player of the two.

He had noted that McDavid's gameplay during the last season was similar to the late 1980s and early 1990s when Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were the NHL giants of all time. However, according to him, Bedard’s performance in the junior league was nothing less. Button said:

"What distinguishes McDavid and Bedard is the World Junior performance. Bedard dominated the World Junior as a 17-year-old, nobody was close to him. The MVP. Brilliant. McDavid didn’t dominate the World Junior tournament. So when you ask me, Connor vs. Connor? I am putting a stake in the ground and going for Bedard."

Considering such a tough comparison from an undeniably prominent figure in the NHL, hockey fans await witnessing which of the two Connors throws a better performance in the upcoming season on the ice.