Connor McDavid remains unsigned through the 2025-26 NHL season. There is nothing the Edmonton Oilers want more than to get a deal done, but it’s proven to be a tough nut to crack. Now, a report hints the captain could be left with no motivation to sign before the season starts.
The Oilers know the 2025-26 NHL campaign is pivotal. In more ways than one, everybody’s job is on the line in Edmonton. McDavid, however, holds his own eight-ball and controls his destiny.
On that note, playing in a contract year isn’t necessarily bad for McDavid, but it is for the Oilers. Not like McDavid needs to prove himself to the Oilers and the rest of the NHL, but placing himself in Edmonton’s display window could be a nightmare-scenario for the organization. As a report hints, it might be trending towards such an outcome.
“Once you get past opening day, what’s the next impetus to sign? Once that slides by, if he is unsigned, I could for sure see this going all the way to June,” insider Frank Seravalli said on the FAN Pregame Show.
Connor McDavid at Amerant Bank Arena on June 18, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida.
He who keeps silent…
McDavid has never been one to be outgoing or vocal in public. Many fans around the league believe that trait holds the NHL back, as he may be harder to promote than other personalities across the continent. Whether that’s entirely true or not, there’s a hint of accuracy to it.
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Now, McDavid’s low-profile causes the speculation to be louder and suspense to grow thicker in Edmonton. The Oilers simply don’t know what to make out of the captain’s silence. Edmonton may be left with no choice but to make their best push in hopes of accelerating McDavid’s decision.
Clock’s ticking
“They continue to work away on the Connor McDavid deal,” Seravalli commentedon Bleacher Report Open Ice. “I think meetings are going on between McDavid and Edmonton’s brass. These next two weeks until puckdrop are going to be incredibly significant for the Oilers.”
Make no mistake—the ball is in McDavid’s court. Edmonton accepted those terms under the implicit promise that the captain would re-sign and avoid a contract year. However, that now looks far from certain.
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It may be time for the Oilers to make their own luck. In the NHL, the best defense is often a great offense. Edmonton has tried that strategy with little success on the ice, but it could pull a page from that playbook when it comes to negotiations with McDavid.
