Originally posted on Sportsnaut
Connor McDavid wants some time to regroup after the Edmonton Oilers’ six-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final before he turns his attention to his next contract.
The NHL’s top player is entering the final season of the eight-year, $100 million contract ($12.5 million average annual value) he signed on July 5, 2017. He can sign an extension with the Oilers beginning July 1 and would be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season. But McDavid said Thursday he wants to take some time to regroup after the Oilers lost to the Panthers in the Final for the second straight year before making a decision about his future.
Of course, that fueled rumors about McDavid not being sold on remaining with the Oilers long term.
“It’s only been a couple days since the season ended,” McDavid said Thursday at the team’s season-ending media availability. “Take some time to regroup. Talk to my agent a little bit, and family and all that, and make some decisions whenever that time comes. But there’s no rush.”
"This core has been together for a long time & we've been building to this moment all along… We're all in this together trying to get it over that finish line."
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 19, 2025
Connor McDavid on the #Oilers leadership group.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/d9nBxySGQn
Money doesn’t figure to be an issue for either side, especially with the NHL salary cap slated to climb again in 2026-27 and 2027-28. McDavid told reporters that winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career is the most important consideration for his next contract.
“Winning would be at the top of the list,” McDavid said. “It’s the most important thing. If I feel that there’s a good window to win here, over and over again, then signing is no problem.
“It’s only been a couple of days. I’m sure we’ll get into it over the course of the next couple of weeks, but I’m not in a rush to make any decision, so I don’t think that there needs to be any timeline. I know people are going to look at that July 1 day and be looking to see if there’s anything done. But for me, I’m just not in a rush that way.”
The 28-year-old center was limited to 67 games by injury in 2024-25 but still finished with 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) — the fifth straight season and eighth time in 10 NHL seasons that he’s reached triple figures. McDavid tied with teammate Leon Draisaitl for the playoff scoring lead with 33 points (seven goals, 26 assists) in 22 games. But he scored just once and had seven points in six games against Florida, and he failed to score in Florida’s Cup-winning 5-1 victory on Tuesday.
McDavid led all players in postseason scoring last season with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 games, becoming the sixth player from the losing team in the Final to be voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The Oilers lost to the Panthers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Final last spring, with McDavid also scoreless in that deciding game.
"We came together at the right time. A lot of difficult circumstances coming down the stretch with injuries… We found a way to get here, credit to a lot of guys."
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 18, 2025
Connor McDavid speaks after tonight's #Oilers defeat. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/IVBvDzqu95
The disappointment of coming up just short of a championship for the second straight year still stings.
“We’re holding this together, trying to get it over the finish line,” McDavid said. “With that being said, ultimately (I) still need to do what’s best for me and my family, and that’s who you have to take care of first.”
McDavid, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, has 1,082 points (361 goals, 721 assists) in 712 regular-season games and 150 points (44 goals, 106 assists) in 96 playoff games. In addition to the Conn Smythe last year, his honors include winning the Hart Trophy (League MVP) three times (2017, 2021, 2023), the Ted Lindsay Award (outstanding player as voted by NHL Players Association members) four times (2017, 2018, 2021, 2023), the Art Ross Trophy (NHL scoring champion) five times (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (NHL goal-scoring leader) in 2023.
Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn ImagesThe Oilers enter this off-season with $11.96 million in salary cap space and 19 players under contract for next season, according to PuckPedia. Draisaitl will enter the first season of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $14 million.
Defenseman Evan Bouchard is tops on the Oilers list of pending restricted free agents, and McDavid said signing him is “definitely a deal that needs to get done.” FanDuel Sports Network reported Wednesday that the Oilers are closing on an eight-year contract with pending unrestricted free agent forward Trent Frederic that would carry an AAV of about $4 million.
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Originally posted on Sportsnaut
Published: 2 weeks ago
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