Connor McDavid is getting into the ultimate season of his contract with the Edmonton Oilers, and there’s nonetheless no readability on his long run future. With every passing day, the perfect hockey participant on this planet will get one step nearer to changing into a free agent, and each different group within the NHL is taking discover.

McDavid has one yr remaining on an eight-year deal that carries an AAV of $12.5 million. July 1 got here and went with out McDavid signing an extension with the Oilers, and the 2 sides nonetheless have but to achieve an settlement.

On the newest episode of the “32 Ideas” podcast, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned he was “shocked” there wasn’t already an extension in place. Apparently, the remainder of the NHL feels the identical method, as a result of the opposite 31 groups are beginning to consider their possibilities of making the largest free agent splash in league historical past.

“I believe the largest factor his phrases have completed — or his actions have completed — is that they produce other groups asking, ‘Is that this actual? Is there actually an opportunity that Connor McDavid goes to be an unrestricted free agent subsequent July 1?'” Friedman mentioned.

McDavid’s subsequent contract will virtually definitely make him the very best paid participant in NHL historical past, so most groups would most likely should clear some cap house in an effort to signal him, if it will get that far. Would groups be prepared to make strikes within the 2025-26 season that set them as much as land McDavid subsequent summer time?

“Should you imagine you have got an opportunity at him, otherwise you wish to have an opportunity at him, you need to be sure your decks are cleared,” Friedman mentioned.

In an interview with TSN’s Ryan Rishaug earlier this week, McDavid was requested about his confidence degree within the Oilers’ means to win the Stanley Cup. The Edmonton captain mentioned he has loads of religion within the group, however he remained non-committal when it got here to his long run plans.

“My confidence on this group this yr has by no means been larger. That is what I can say about that,” he mentioned. “Pay attention, does anybody have a crystal ball and know what two years, three years, 4 years, 5 or no matter [will look like]? No one has a crystal ball. No one is aware of what that is going to seem like. The assumption shouldn’t be the problem — not that there’s a difficulty.”

The phrases “this yr” appear to be doing quite a lot of work there. What about down the road? Does McDavid suppose the Oilers entrance workplace is able to surrounding him with the expertise essential to win hockey’s final prize? After two straight Stanley Cup Last losses, McDavid has change into obsessive about profitable his first championship.

“Connor McDavid, I have been informed by a number of folks within the aftermath of that second defeat, has change into much more fanatical about profitable,” Friedman mentioned. “All he cared about was profitable earlier than. Now, he is in one other stratosphere about it.”

Edmonton’s missteps

It might be laborious in charge McDavid for dropping religion in administration after their strikes final summer time. Edmonton turned down the chance to match completely cheap supply sheets on up-and-coming gamers Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, permitting them to change into St. Louis Blues.

Holloway, 23, was second on the group in objectives (26) and third in factors (63). Broberg flashed some top-four potential on the blue line whereas contributing 29 factors on the offensive finish.

With Holloway and Broberg gone, Edmonton introduced in veteran forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, two strikes that fell flat. Neither participant offered a lot in the way in which of dependable depth scoring, and Skinner was a wholesome scratch for many of the playoffs.

Maybe probably the most obvious drawback the Oilers have confronted over the past couple of years has been their incapability to cease the puck with any consistency, particularly when it issues most. In 2024-25, Edmonton selected to roll with the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. These two had been anyplace from pedestrian to beneath common within the common season, they usually did not get any higher within the playoffs. Skinner and Pickard mixed to permit 5.36 objectives above common whereas posting a .882 save share, per Pure Stat Trick.

With gamers like McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard on the high of the lineup, Edmonton can outrun its depth and goaltending issues within the common season — and even for many of the postseason. Nonetheless, when the Oilers have confronted the spectacular depth of the Florida Panthers, they’ve come up brief each instances.

McDavid’s resolution

This dialog might all be moot in a matter of hours, days or perhaps weeks. McDavid might signal an extension with the Oilers and stay the cornerstone piece of that franchise for years to return. In spite of everything, Edmonton has reached the Last in back-to-back years, and it has been a couple of performs away from a unique outcome every time. Many groups would like to swap locations with the Oilers.

That being mentioned, the extra these negotiations drag out, the extra it looks as if McDavid is making the group show that it has an actual long run imaginative and prescient for Stanley Cup competition. If the Oilers cannot repair the identical points which have plagued them all through McDavid’s profession, there might be 31 groups itching to make their pitch subsequent July.