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Leafs, Oilers Retain Stars Amid Coach Searches, Draft Gambit

5/28/2026

45 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Leafs, Oilers Retain

Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers will keep Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid.
Connor McDavid is under contract through 2027-28 at $12.5 million while Auston Matthews is signed through 2028 at $13.25 million for two seasons.
Both clubs are still searching for head coaches, a factor that could affect the players’ choices.
Toronto holds the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft and may trade it for a serious upgrade.

Summary

Sabres Trade

GM Jarmo Kekalainen must act now because a Robert Thomas trade could cost three assets.
Bowen Byram could be dealt if he rejects an extension and becomes a 2027 UFA.
Radim Mrtka, No. 9 pick 2025, may be NHL-ready in a year, location undecided.
Ryan McLeod’s $5 million cap hit through 2028-29 makes him a movable centre asset.
The Sabres may use Josh Norris’s $7.95 million contract and a late first-round pick to balance salary.

History

Historical Context

The 2004-05 NHL lockout ended on Feb 16 2005 when Commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHLPA accepted a hard salary cap of $39 million per team for 2005-06. That cap has risen to a flat $81.5 million (2020-23), forcing clubs like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers to fit star contracts such as Auston Matthews’s $13.25 million deal under the same limit.

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Leafs, Oilers Retain

Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers will keep Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid.
Connor McDavid is under contract through 2027-28 at $12.5 million while Auston Matthews is signed through 2028 at $13.25 million for two seasons.
Both clubs are still searching for head coaches, a factor that could affect the players’ choices.
Toronto holds the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft and may trade it for a serious upgrade.

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