If I was an Edmonton Oilers fan, I wouldn’t feel great about what Connor McDavid had to say regarding his future on Thursday during his locker room clean-out day media availability.
For all intents and purposes, the Oilers captain, who will be eligible to sign a contract extension as early as July 1st, had the opportunity to squash all speculation about where he will be playing hockey following the 2025-26 NHL season. Instead, even if it’s ever so slightly, he left the door open for a potential future outside of Edmonton.
“Going to take some time to regroup, talk to my agent a little bit, family, and make some decisions when the time comes. There’s no rush,” McDavid said. We’re all in this together trying to get it over that finish line. With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me & my family. That’s who I have to take care of first, but obviously there’s some unfinished business here.”
So, you’re telling me there’s a chance.
Let me be perfectly clear: I would still view it as a pipe dream, but without question, the 28-year-old phenom, who had to know the questions were coming, left some doubt – even if it was just a little – with his commentary.
And, for those trying to compare his quotes to what Leon Draisaitl had to say last summer when he was in the same position, it’s not the same. Draisaitl’s from Germany, not Newmarket Ontario. On top of that, he wasn’t a Toronto Maple Leafs fan growing up. In fact, he has zero attachment to any market in the NHL outside of the one that drafted him. This is apples to oranges.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been told not to draw any straight lines or parallels between Draisaitl signing an extension and McDavid’s future with the team. He’s going to make his own decision.
Enter the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When you get a chance to play for the team you loved and probably still love, you’re going to think long and hard about it. Just ask John Tavares, who much to the chagrin of a fan base that’s still pissed off about his decision to leave, fled Long Island for his hometown Maple Leafs in the summer of 2018. For an entire year prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent, he wrestled with the dream of dawning the blue and white, and ultimately, he caved and made the seemingly unfathomable decision to go home. Whether Oilers Nation wants to hear it or not, there’s no question – in my mind, at least – that there’s a WrestleMania level wrestling match already underway in McDavid’s head with July 1st quickly approaching.
For the record, I’m not disputing that he loves playing in Edmonton. John Tavares absolutely loved being an Islander, and we all saw how that played out. That said, opportunities as grand as this one come around once in a career –if that. Simply put, the best player on the planet has a chance to shock the world.
Incredibly, it’s been 10 years – give or take a few months – since the Oilers won the 2015 NHL Draft Lottery to put themselves in a position to select McDavid first overall. Needless to say, it was a franchise altering night for the organization and its rabid fan base.
That’s great and everything, but honestly, I feel like that moment was overshadowed by something else that night. Anyone remember McDavid’s face when he found out he was going to Edmonton? Yeah, he looked like he saw a ghost. That’s because his beloved Maple Leafs had a legitimate shot to get him. In the long run, they ended up picking fourth overall —selecting London Knights winger Mitchell Marner.
I’m no body language expert but that dude doesn’t look overly excited. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Connor McDavid in a decade, it’s that he wears his heart on his sleeve. You know when he’s happy, you know when he’s annoyed. Now that he has fate firmly in his own hands, McDavid has a chance to live out a boyhood dream.
Plain and simple.
Bottom line: Personally, I think it’s foolish to completely poo-poo the idea or possibility altogether. Under Brad Treliving and Craig Berube, the Leafs seem to be trending in the right direction. Not only are they coming off their best postseason output in over 20 years, but for the first time in a while, they have some cap space to play with, too. Any way you slice it, it will be fascinating to see how the Maple Leafs spend their money over the next few weeks. All in all, that should give a good indication – one way or another – of their read on the entire situation.
If Gretzky could get traded, anything is possible.
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