McDavid, Matthews Not 100% Committed to Oilers, Maple Leafs for Next Season Yet

Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews have always had a lot of power with their teams, and that’s never been more the case than right now.

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As both superstars face somewhat uncertain futures with the Oilers and Maple Leafs beyond their current contracts, everyone around the league is keeping a close eye on how things are going in Edmonton and Toronto.

While it remains rather unlikely that McDavid or Matthews is on the move this offseason, TSN insider Pierre LeBrun revealed on Wednesday that it’s still not a certainty that they stay either.

LeBrun wrote:

“And finally, let’s circle back on Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. The reality as of now is that it’s a holding pattern on both fronts. Matthews and McDavid are most likely staying put for at least another season, but neither can yet commit 100 percent to that. For starters, both of their teams still need to hire a new head coach. That’s going to be a factor.

Matthews and his agent, Judd Moldaver, who also represents McDavid, had a Zoom call with Chayka and Leafs senior executive adviser of hockey operations Mats Sundin about 10 days ago, and it went well by all accounts. But Matthews and Moldaver still need to see how the Leafs’ offseason moves play out before they can say that they’re for sure committed for next season. The same goes for McDavid. The Oilers’ moves over the next five or six weeks are important to monitor before McDavid and Moldaver sign off for next season,”

The 29-year-old McDavid’s two-year, $25 million extension signed with the Oilers in October begins next season (2026-27), while Matthews, 28, has two years remaining on the four-year, $53 million deal he signed to extend with the Maple Leafs in 2023.

As LeBrun mentioned, how the offseason plays out for Edmonton and Toronto will be the ultimate decider in whether a blockbuster trade could happen as early as this summer.

Of the two, Matthews would appear to be more likely to potentially move first given the questions around the direction of the Maple Leafs. McDavid, on the other hand, will enter the spotlight after 2026-27, and depending on how the Oilers fare it could get loud.

In the end, it puts a lot of pressure on GMs Stan Bowman and John Chayka to please the faces of their franchises by improving their rosters in the coming months.

Next: Insider Talks Potential Ducks and Maple Leafs Blockbuster McTavish Trade