Edmonton Oilers

Penguins Insider Could See Pittsburgh Being Desirable for Connor McDavid

Are the Pittsburgh Penguins a sneaky landing spot if Connor McDavid were ever to leave Edmonton?

by
Jackson Weber
May 15, 2026

The hockey world will be watching how Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers fare in 2026-27 very closely, because it could ultimately determine the future of the world’s best player.

A bounce-back season where the Oilers go deep and potentially even win the Stanley Cup, and all will be quiet. Another underwhelming year falling short for a variety of reasons, and we very likely could see McDavid on the move out of Edmonton.

Landing spots like a return home to Toronto or other big markets such as New York or Los Angeles have already been floated, but a recent article in The Athletic by Penguins insider Josh Yohe suggests not to count out Pittsburgh—unlikely as it may be.

Yohe wrote:

“Do I think either one will ever play in Pittsburgh? No. Is it nice for fans to fantasize about? Sure. Would Pittsburgh be pretty high on both of their lists if a trade materialized? I bet it would, especially for McDavid, who has many close friends in nearby Erie, Pa., from his years playing junior hockey there. It’s also only a five-hour drive to his hometown of Toronto. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who wants to play in a huge market, even though he’s from one

Plus, the Penguins do have some real, young talent on the way, loads of cap space, a good general manager and a good coach. The Penguins also do right by their superstars. So, for players like McDavid and Matthews, the Penguins organization has a lot to offer,”

The 29-year-old McDavid’s two-year, $25 million extension signed with the Oilers in October begins next season (2026-27) and runs through the 2027-28 campaign.

As Yohe notes, McDavid joining Sidney Crosby in the Steel City is a pipe-dream scenario for Penguins fans, but his connections to the area—and other factors mentioned—are noteworthy should we be in the middle of a sweepstakes a year from now.

We don’t know how much longer Crosby will continue playing, but you have to imagine McDavid landing in Pittsburgh would persuade him to keep going a little longer than originally expected. It’s all a fantasy right now, but these types of conversations could become a reality quite soon if things don’t go according to plan in Edmonton.

Next: Could the Maple Leafs and Oilers End Up Swapping Coaches?