Connor McDavid could create “dream team” with the Colorado Avalanche

Connor McDavid is in the news as he is due a new contract following the 2025-26 season. The Colorado Avalanche could take advantage of the situation if the Oilers’ superstar decides to part ways with the only NHL team he’s ever known.

Currently, McDavid has a cap hit of $12.5 million. For the 2026-27 season, the Avalanche currently have the least amount of cap space in the entire league at $30 million. They’ll have to decide on what to do with Martin Necas as he will hit free agency during that offseason, but don’t really have other players they must re-sign at that time.

McDavid had this to say recently regarding his future:

"This core has been together for a long time and we’ve been building to this moment… With that being said, ultimately I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. But of course there’s unfinished business here."

Connor McDavid on his future.

As of right now, Cale Makar still needs a new contract after winning another Norris trophy. His price will be steep, so who knows how much cap space the team will have following that deal getting done. Arturri Lehkonen and Ross Colton are also two players that would need an extension if something doesn’t happen with them beforehand.

The Avalanche can clear some cap space by choosing not to re-sign Charlie Coyle, Martin Necas, and Josh Manson. They would essentially shed $17.25 million. Even with a pay raise for McDavid, though he would still cost a ton of money, the Avalanche could still fill in the gaps. The main focus is that the Avalanche would be getting an incredible player and the team could play around with line combinations.

If you enter McDavid into the fold, you’d end up with two incredible first-line centers, but obviously only one can play there. Perhaps the Avalanche could swing McDavid onto a wing position, or put him as the second-line center. (That idea sounds incredibly insane, but we’ve seen many things in sports that were crazy). In fact, something like that did happen in the past.

The 1987 Canada Cup consisted of Hall of Fame players Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Both centers, they couldn’t share the first line’s faceoff job. Instead, Gretzky shifted over to left wing.

McDavid talks about unfinished business. Ultimately, his Oilers teams have failed to win the Stanley Cup. MacKinnon and Makar (among several others currently on the team) have experience lifting the Cup. Combine that amount of experience with McDavid’s talents and the Avalanche could win not just one championship, but perhaps several.

It feels like a win-win for McDavid, who is going to be seeking a pay raise but also an incredible chance at hoisting the 35-pound Stanley Cup.

It would be a very neat thing to see the addition of McDavid as a parallel to that 1984 scenario. The Avalanche would have not just two of the greatest players in the league, but three. I’m absolutely here for it.