Insider: McDavid Has Left Door Open for Trade Out of Edmonton

In a bit of a cryptic update from a trusted NHL insider, Pierre LeBrun hinted in a recent article that the Connor McDavid contract extension signed this past offseason isn’t as black-and-white as it first appears. The thought behind the deal is that McDavid was effectively saying he’d stay for three seasons, taking three more shots at winning a Stanley Cup.

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Not so fast, according to LeBrun.

Did McDavid Open the Door to a Possible Trade?

LeBrun notes in a recent column:

“It is important as a matter of clarification to understand the context of No. 97 signing that team-friendly, two-year extension last fall. It did not necessarily mean he was signing it to be on the Edmonton Oilers through the 2027-28 season. My understanding is that the most likely scenario was that McDavid was giving the Oilers this season and next to try and win a championship and then it was decision time again in the summer of 2027 as to where everything stood.”

So far, that’s what most fans and analysts have understood to be the motivation behind the deal. However, LeBrun added an interesting wrinkle to those comments.

He notes, “The reason for that is that I don’t think McDavid wants to just walk out the door in ’28 as an unrestricted free agent and not have the Oilers get something in return.”

Suggesting that if McDavid decides to leave Edmonton, he’s not about to desert the organization. The thought seems to be, ‘OK, I’m leaving, here’s your chance to get the best package for me that you can.’

Would McDavid Help the Oilers Get a Solid Trade Return?

LeBrun notes, “The summer of 2027, if he decides it’s time to leave, would be one year out from his contract expiry and allow the Oilers to gain something out of a trade, albeit a trade in which he controls his destination.” In other words, McDavid will have a handful of teams (if that) he’d be willing to join, but he’s going to give the Oilers ample time to work out the best possible deal.

Having said that, LeBrun did caution that all of this is a sky-is-falling what-if.

He added, “Now, there’s obviously a world in which he signs another extension and spends his entire career in Edmonton. Let’s not discount that. But at a minimum, the feeling is he will give the Oilers one more season next year in this contention window.”

McDavid Is Not a Lock To Ride Out His Current Contract in Edmonton

So far, this season has not gone the way the Oilers would have hoped. They are a shadow of the team that was competitive over the last couple of seasons, and “if the Oilers flame out in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, I can’t discount how No. 97 will feel about that,” writes LeBrun. McDavid has clearly been frustrated this season. He’s not quitting or folding his hand, but things aren’t trending in the right direction.

“The most likely scenario is waiting until the summer of ’27 to revisit his future. But I can’t dismiss what the disappointment of a first-round elimination might change,” added the insider. “So file that away.”

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