Red Wings’ Monster Offer for Oilers’ Connor McDavid — Would You Accept?

E.J. Hradek has been making the internet rounds lately, tossing gasoline on the NHL rumor mill by openly wondering where Connor McDavid could end up. The three teams he floated — Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers — each come with their own intrigue, even if the realistic nature of any of them can be questioned. It’s hard to picture a world where any of these franchises are truly better positioned than the Edmonton Oilers.

But once McDavid’s name enters the conversation, logic takes a back seat. The league stops. Fans argue. And every hypothetical becomes irresistible.

McDavid is signed for two more years at a ridiculous $12.5 million AAV, which is an outright steal for a player who bends the sport around himself. Trading for him now — at age 29, with two seasons of elite cap control — is infinitely more valuable than waiting for the “maybe he hits free agency” fantasy.

A couple days ago, I broke down what it might take for the Flyers to pry McDavid out of Edmonton. Flyers fans said the package was wild and too much. Oilers fans said it wasn’t even close. That’s the nature of discussing a trade for the greatest player alive.

Today, we move to the next team on Hradek’s list.

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Detroit Red Wings: The Least Likely Option?

Detroit is the least likely option for one simple reason: they don’t even have a general manager right now. Dylan Larkin has a pending trade request. Simon Edvinsson doesn’t know who to negotiate with. The organization is in limbo, and they need stability fast.

They’ve also missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons. McDavid wants to win. Detroit, on paper, doesn’t offer that.

But Detroit does offer something else: proximity to home. And for a superstar who has carried a franchise for a decade, that matters.

Detroit badly needs a true No. 1 center. With Larkin asking out, the idea of Andrew Copp or Marco Kasper battling for the top spot is… not ideal. McDavid would instantly transform the franchise, the market, and the trajectory of the rebuild. He’d be the biggest star Detroit has had since the days of Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk, and Henrik Zetterberg.

And then there’s the financial side.

McDavid is a revenue cheat code. Edmonton recently ranked third on Forbes’ list of the world’s most profitable sports teams, pulling in an estimated $244 million in operating income — behind only the Dallas Cowboys and Golden State Warriors. That’s not normal. That’s McDavid.

Steve Yzerman knows exactly how valuable that is.

Could McDavid finally have his “Yzerman Moment” — the mythical defensive championship arc fans dream about — while wearing a Red Wings jersey? It would be poetic.

So What Would It Take?

The answer is the same as yesterday.

Short answer: everything.

Long answer: everything, plus a little more.

The Oilers aren’t moving McDavid unless they know internally — truly know — he isn’t staying after this contract. If that day ever comes, sentimentality disappears. Maximizing the return becomes the only priority.

Detroit would go nuclear. They’d give up anything. McDavid would be the lightning rod to rebuild the franchise’s identity overnight. They’d instantly become a top destination for free agents. They’d finally have the superstar face of the franchise again.

So here’s the offer.

The Offer

Red Wings Receive:

• Connor McDavid
• Trent Frederic
• Spencer Stastney

Oilers Receive:

• Alex Debrincat
• Lucas Raymond
• Simon Edvinsson
• Marco Kasper
• 2027 first-round pick
• 2028 first-round pick
• 2028 second-round pick
• 2027 third-round pick

Who Says No?

Detroit’s Side

The Red Wings would hate giving up this much — especially Raymond — but they’d do it. Frederic helps stabilize the wings. Stastney replaces Edvinsson and is already under contract. Detroit would then use the Larkin return to flesh out the rest of the roster.

I didn’t include Larkin in the deal because he likely wouldn’t waive for Edmonton — his list is short and heavily American‑team focused. Heck, maybe he stays seeing this deal come through. McDavid changes everything.

Detroit only gives up two firsts here because their picks would likely be higher and more valuable than Philadelphia’s.

And in return? They get the franchise player every team dreams of building around.

Edmonton’s Side

The Oilers probably still want more.

They get out of the Frederic contract. Kasper slots in behind Leon Draisaitl or they use him to support Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a second line. Raymond and Debrincat give them two high‑end wing pieces and make a formidable first line alongside Draisaitl. Edvinsson replaces Mattias Ekholm on the top pair with Evan Bouchard, allowing Ekholm to slide down and manage his minutes.

But Edmonton might still ask for Emmitt Finnie or Moritz Seider instead of another piece. They might still push for another pick. When you’re trading Connor McDavid, you don’t settle — you extract.

Is It Enough?

Honestly? Maybe not.

This is a competitive offer, but the moment McDavid becomes available, the entire league starts throwing assets at Edmonton like confetti. A 29‑year‑old McDavid at $12.5 million is basically unheard of. The on‑ice value is unmatched. The off‑ice value is priceless.

The Red Wings would likely add more if asked. And the wildest part? McDavid is absolutely worth it.

Because here’s the reality at the heart of any McDavid discussion: there is no such thing as overpaying for Connor McDavid. Every team in the league would unload their prospect pool and every GM would convince themselves the pain is worth it. Every owner would treat it like a once‑in‑a‑lifetime investment. And Detroit — with its desperate need for a franchise centerpiece and a fanbase starving for a new era — would push as far as anyone.

If Edmonton ever reaches the point where they have to listen — truly listen — this is the type of offer that gets them to the table. It doesn’t seal the deal and it doesn’t finish the negotiation. It simply cracks the door open.

That’s how rare McDavid is. That’s how transformative he is. And that’s why a team like Detroit would keep stacking pieces onto the pile until the Oilers finally said yes.

Next: Flyers’ Monster Offer for Oilers’ Connor McDavid — Would You Accept?