The Edmonton Oilers stare at the prospect of a season without Connor McDavid signed long-term. While both the club and McDavid have said all the right things about getting an extension done, the fact is that none has been signed.
Until McDavid puts ink to paper on an extension, whatever the terms, questions will hang over the club the entire season. So, it must be said, how long will it be until the uncertainty surrounding Connor McDavid’s contract extension becomes a distraction?
Let’s pause for a moment.
These are the Edmonton Oilers were talking about. This group is a battle-hardened bunch. They have been to war in back-to-back seasons, facing a formidable club in the Florida Panthers. This club isn’t a group of young guys coming up through the ranks. That’s why it’s safe to assume guys like McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, and Stuart Skinner can handle the media scrutiny.
But even the toughest soldiers can have uncertainty to get them. Perhaps it won’t be at the start of the season. It may not be in January. But the longer this issue drags out, especially if it gets to the trade deadline, there will be no shortage of speculation regarding a possible trade involving McDavid.
If McDavid heads into the postseason without a contract, it could become a distraction. There’s no telling what sort of impact such distractions could have on the Oilers heading into the postseason.
It’s unfathomable to imagine the Oilers bouncing in the first round and McDavid without a contract. Coach Kris Knoblauch must prepare for what could be a season filled with questions and scrutiny until a deal gets done.
Connor McDavid and Oilers likely to work something out
Connor McDavid and the Oilers have been courteous in the media. Both sides have made it clear they want to remain together long term. So, if that’s the case, why hasn’t a deal been completed by now?
There’s no telling what the precise holdup could be. It might be a logistical issue. It could be financials. Some chatter has suggested that McDavid has reservations about the Oilers’ ability to win a Cup. Others have posited that McDavid wants to pressure the club to remain competitive.
Those all sound like head games. You would have to think that the best player in the NHL would be forthcoming with his club. If the Oilers are not in a position to win, and McDavid is unsure about the club’s future, that’s a conversation McDavid’s camp must have had with management.
I’m not suggesting that’s the case. But based on my experience in the business world, McDavid’s representation must have made that situation clear by now. If McDavid is not re-signing, the Oilers must know that.
So, the likeliest outcome is that McDavid and the Oilers figure something out. A short-term deal seems like the path forward. A short-term deal kicks the can down the road, buying everyone more time to maneuver.
That’s what this situation boils down to: Time. Unfortunately, the clock will never stop ticking.