After falling in the Stanley Cup Final to the Panthers for the second straight year, Connor McDavid’s future looms over the entire NHL offseason.
The superstar is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $12.5 million cap hit, and while Edmonton has gotten closer to winning it all the last two years than any point in his career, is the 28-year-old wondering now if he can get over the finish line with the Oilers?
If the three-time Hart Trophy winner is committed to Edmonton, a massive contract extension awaits in the coming weeks. If he has his doubts, all eyes will be on a potential trade as it would be devastating for the Oilers to lose the 28-year-old for nothing.
“The window is sort of closing,” ESPN’s Steve Levy said this week on “The Jim Rome Show.” “This is an odd one. It’s closing not because of his age, but because of his contract status. There’s an awful lot of talk within the sport that if they don’t win this year, McDavid might look elsewhere. He still has a year left on his contract after this season.
“But, if you’re the Oilers and you know you can’t re-sign him, you can’t let him go to free agency and not get anything for the greatest player in the game. So that sort of speeds up the process.”
After Tuesday’s Game 6 loss to Florida, a frustrated McDavid was asked what the difference was in the series.
“Obviously, their forecheck was great. They tilted the rink. They were able to kind of stay on top of us all over the place,” McDavid said. “Never really able to generate any momentum up the ice. Kept f–king trying the same thing over and over again, banging our heads against the wall. Credit to them. They played well.”
McDavid had seven goals and 26 assists in 22 playoff games this year, tying teammate Leon Draisaitl for the most points (33) this postseason.
Draisaitl, 29, is under contract for five more years at $14 million per year.
Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk alluded to a potential change of scenery for McDavid Tuesday night.
“When you have a player that good and that talented, he’s going to win (the Stanley Cup) one day. Wherever it is,” Tkachuk said, per The Athletic.
McDavid had 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) in 67 regular-season games, his eighth 100-point season in his last nine.