If there is one NHL fanbase awaiting a significant move with bated breath right now, it is the Edmonton Oilers. The face of the franchise, Connor McDavid, is still waiting to sign the contract extension to stay in Edmonton, and the anticipation is getting unbearable with every passing day.
The Oilers finished the last season on a disappointing note. After an illustrious regular season, Edmonton was defeated by the Florida Panthers, who won the Stanley Cup. Of course, a player like McDavid wants to win, and he has expressed his desire to win with the Oilers, so why the excessively long contract negotiations?
Will Connor McDavid Stay with the Edmonton Oilers? Insider Weighs In
McDavid will surely find a reason to stay if the Oilers make the most of the upcoming season. The captain’s otherwise unblemished roster lacks the Stanley Cup, and it’s about time he lifts one. The management and the rest of the Oilers’ lineup need to do their best to beat the allegations of the one-line team. For now, McDavid has shown no haste when signing a contract extension. What could the future hold?
Is McDavid possibly joining a different team that is better suited to his championship aspirations? Perhaps. It is also possible that he will remain in Edmonton and continue to lead the franchise to better days. Whatever his decision, Friedman believes that he will make the reason for the same abundantly clear.
“I do think that McDavid wants to give others the clarity before the season begins, by either signing or explaining why specifically he wouldn’t sign. So I think we are going to have an idea one way or the other in the next day or two,” Friedman stated in the “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”.
Friedman’s words are clearly enough to whip up a storm inside Oilers fans’ hearts. The franchise has been fashioned around McDavid, and he remains the team’s most important player. Much chatter has surrounded the standout center’s future, but a clarification is just around the corner if Friedman’s words are to be believed.
Moreover, there is also the question of the length of the contract. The Oilers would love to secure their captain for the next eight years, but Friedman reiterated his previously expressed belief that McDavid’s next contract will be short. “I think he wants to give some clarity one way or the other. If he does sign, and as I have said many times, I believe he is going to extend short-term.”
Moreover, Friedman does not discount the role played by loyalty in McDavid’s decision, stating that his bonds run deep with fellow players like Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Darnell Nurse. His bonding with fellow players is one reason why Friedman believes McDavid will sign a short-term contract to remain with the Oilers.
Friedman further speculated that McDavid could shock the community by signing a more modest deal, thus giving the Oilers management more flexibility. If the captain does end up signing for a lower-than-expected amount, Edmonton would emerge as the biggest winner and would need to figure out a way to make him stay long-term.
