As the Edmonton Oilers enter their second consecutive grueling offseason, there seem to be more questions than answers this time around.
The Oilers have a fantastic team, particularly because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl wreaking havoc on opposing defensemen. But, they also failed to retain key contributors such as Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg last year, leaving this 2024-25 iteration with less juice up front and less reliability on the back end.
Now, with McDavid entering the final year of his contract, there are growing worries around Edmonton that the NHL’s premier superstar may head elsewhere. He has made his desperation for a Stanley Cup more than public, and needs a ring to cement his legacy among the league’s all-time greats.
Here is what McDavid had to say, via TSN:
Connor McDavid responds to a question about his future in Edmonton. pic.twitter.com/HN2S2OKm1o
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 19, 2025
The sentiment felt different last year. Zach Hyman gave his famous “I know we’re going to be back” speech after the first Final defeat to the Florida Panthers. But this latest series felt even more lopsided than its 4-2 final score, leaving the Oilers with even more uncertainty.
Edmonton is clearly a good team. After dropping the first two games of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Kings, they ripped a 12-2 run through the gauntlet Western Conference to face Florida again. But the Panthers completely outclassed them. Have the Oilers reached their ceiling with this group?
Maybe. Maybe not. But if McDavid resonates with the former, he could seek other destinations to capture that Cup he so desperately covets.
Even with the salary cap increasing, McDavid is going to command a seismic deal. Defenseman Evan Bouchard, an RFA this summer, is also due for a big payday (whether Edmonton fans like it or not).
Exhausting so much of the cap on a small group of players (McDavid, Bouchard, Draisaitl, and Darnell Nurse with his $9.25 million hit through 2030) usually does not pan out for these teams.
McDavid could feel that the Oilers need him far more than he needs them.
