NHL News: Oilers reportedly still have work to do to convince Connor McDavid amid extension drama

Summertime in Alberta is coming to an end and Connor McDavid has yet to sign an extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Set to enter a contract year in the 2025-26 NHL season, the stakes are sky-high. Now, reports suggest the Oilers still have work to do.

Connor McDavid may have shut down trade rumors with a blunt statement about his intentions for the future. Still, fans in Edmonton won’t sleep tight until the captain puts his signature on a new deal.

It feels imminent, but until it becomes official, how it feels matters little in Alberta. Edmonton can’t risk having the best player in the NHL play through a season with his future uncertain. The Oilers must work out an extension through the 2025-26 campaign. It’s no secret that this is priority number one for the organization in Northern Alberta. But reports indicate they must prove something to McDavid first.

“McDavid must be convinced the Oilers will continue to be a serious Stanley Cup contender,” Sportsnet’s insider Elliotte Friedman commented.

Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

Holding him back

It’s been a case of words not matching actions. While McDavid’s comments have inspired confidence in fans more often than not, the delay in the extension has had quite the opposite effect. Fans in town want no more drama.

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The 2025 NHL offseason has been exhausting, as buzz swirled around the city over potential landing spots for McDavid. Many can’t help but wonder: why hasn’t McDavid committed for the long run yet?

“Until McDavid signs, there’s something imperfect in his eyes,” Friedman hinted about the delay in negotiation talks. “Whether [that is] effective youth, or strong enough goaltending, or something else.”

Not about the money

The reason might be unknown, but it’s clear something is bugging McDavid. The financial side shouldn’t be a problem whatsoever. Edmonton has made it crystal clear: whatever asking price McDavid’s camp comes up with, the team will nod in approval.

Whether that’s smart business or not is another question. But no team in the NHL would let the salary cap stand in the way of retaining the best player of his generation. Thus, the Oilers can’t be blamed.

Entering the final season of his eight-year, $100 million contract, McDavid has more than earned a pay raise. When he puts pen to paper, it will be on a record-breaking deal in the NHL. It might be worth the wait for McDavid, but it could come at the expense of Edmonton’s panic levels.