[McClintock]

Originally Posted by getbak

That's a pretty short list of players to use for comparison. The only players to win the Art Ross Trophy while still on their ELCs are Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin. Only Crosby had won prior to signing his second contract (which McDavid is on pace for now).

• Sidney Crosby signed his second contract on July 7, 2007, a month before his 20th birthday. This was after he won the Art Ross and Hart Trophies in his second season. He signed for a cap hit of $8.7 million per year when the salary cap was $50.3 million. That was 17.3% of the cap.
  
  
• Alex Ovechkin signed his second contract on January 10, 2008, halfway through his third pro season. He was 22. That was the season where he won his first Art Ross and Hart Trophies. He signed for a cap hit a little over $9.5 million when the salary cap was $50.3 million. That was 19.0% of the cap.
  
  
• Evgeni Malkin signed his second contract on July 2, 2008, less than a month shy of his 22nd birthday, after his second pro season. He finished second to Ovechkin for the Art Ross the previous season, and won the Art Ross and Conn Smythe Trophies the following year. He signed for a cap hit of $8.7 million when the cap was $56.7 million. That was 15.3% of the cap.

Arguably, if Malkin had been playing for any other team in the league, he wouldn't have been limited by Crosby's $8.7 million cap hit, and if Crosby had been born on any day other than August 7, 1987, he might have not limited himself to the $8.7 million cap hit either.


If the cap goes up to $75 million next year, the Oilers should be happy if they can get McDavid signed for under $13 million.

Interesting analysis. 13 mill would be 17.3% of the cap. Right in line with the aforementioned players.