Connor McDavid 4.12

THIS DATE IN HISTORY: July 5
2017: Connor McDavid, the reigning NHL scoring champion, signs an eight-year, $100 million contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

The contract, which begins with the 2018-19 season, has an average annual value of $12.5 million, the highest in the NHL.
McDavid signs the extension after leading the NHL in scoring during the 2016-17 season with 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) and helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since reaching the Final in 2006. He wins the
Hart Trophy
as the NHL's most valuable player and the
Ted Lindsay Award
as the top player as voted by members of the NHL Players Association.
"It's insane to really think about, someone is going to pay me $100 million to do what I would do anyway on a regular day; it's insane," the 20-year-old center says. "It's very special, and to do that in Edmonton makes it even better."
MORE MOMENTS
1979:Don Cherry is replaced as coach of the Boston Bruins by Fred Creighton. Cherry's five seasons in Boston include four Adams Division titles and trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 1977 and 1978, though the Bruins lose to the Montreal Canadiens each time. They also lose to the Canadiens in a seven-game series in the 1979 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Cherry goes on to coach the Colorado Rockies for one season before being fired and pursuing a career in broadcasting.
1995:The New York Islanders name Mike Milbury as the sixth coach in their history. Milbury adds the title of general manager on Dec. 12 and remains in one or both jobs until stepping down as GM in June 2006 to accept a vice presidency with the Islanders. New York goes 56-111 with 24 ties during Milbury's three stints as coach.
2000:The new Columbus Blue Jackets hire Dave King as their first coach. The Blue Jackets finish last in each of their first two seasons and King is fired midway through his third season.
2013:
Daniel Alfredsson
's 17-year career with the Ottawa Senators comes to an end when he signs with the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent. The 40-year-old native of Gothenburg, Sweden, leaves the Senators after spending his entire NHL career in Ottawa, finishing with 1,108 points (426 goals, 682 assists) in 1,178 games. His list of achievements includes winning the
Calder Trophy
as the NHL's top rookie in 1996 and the
Mark Messier Leadership Award
in 2013. He serves as Ottawa's captain from 1999-2013 and helps the Senators to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in
2007
. Alfredsson, plagued by back problems, spends one season with Detroit, then returns to Ottawa and officially
announces his retirement
on Dec. 4, 2014.
On the same day,
Jarome Iginla
signs a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins. Iginla joins Boston less than two months after facing the Bruins while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. Iginla has his 12th (and final) 30-goal season in the NHL with the Bruins.