The Edmonton Oilers had one piece of business more important than any other this offseason — and with training camp mere weeks away, superstar Connor McDavid still doesn't have a new contract for after the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite that, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is confident that an extension will get done between player and club long before No. 97 becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
“You have to approach Connor differently than anyone else because he is different than anyone else,” Bowman told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun ahead of the NHL GM/coaches meeting on Wednesday. “He’s the best player in the world and, as a result, has earned the right to handle this the way he feels right to handle it.”
The 52-year-old continued: “I think we can just support him in that process. I have no reason to doubt anything he said (last week). I take him to his word that he’s focused on winning the Cup in Edmonton. And we feel the same way. It’s just really trying to maintain patience. That’s the hard thing for the outside world to do. But for us, that’s fine.
“He’s always been a man of his word to me. I trust him. He’s going through his own process, and when he’s ready, he’s ready. That’s understandable. So I guess the internal feeling is different maybe than what’s swirling on the outside. But I think that’s more out of respect for Connor and being patient with where he’s at.”
McDavid addressed his contract situation at Canada's Olympic Orientation camp in Calgary last week, saying he has “every intention” of winning a Stanley Cup in Edmonton. But, as of yet, him and his agent haven't even begun preliminary talks with Bowman and the front office.
Oilers roster looks different after back-to-back Finals runs
The Oilers have come oh-so-close to hockey immortality in back-to-back seasons, winning the Western Conference both times before losing to a powerhouse Florida Panthers team in the Stanley Cup Final.
If McDavid and Edmonton hope to go back to the Finals in 2026, they'll have to do it with a tweaked roster. Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane are no longer part of the equation after all four veteran forwards moved on this summer.
In their place, youngsters Isaac Howard and Matthew Savoie will be looking to make their mark at the NHL level.
As LeBrun reports, no one seems to know when McDavid will be ready to negotiate — but he wants to see a blueprint where the Oilers are still elite contenders in two or three years. That means No. 97 could enter the 2025-26 season without a new contract, which obviously isn't ideal for the front office or the fan base.
It'll be interesting to see if there is a more concrete update — and potentially a conclusion — before the Oilers open their regular season against the Calgary Flames on October 8.
