One day after the Edmonton Oilers announced Connor McDavid’s two-year contract extension, the shockwaves continued to ripple through the NHL.
As the days go by, more and more details emerge regarding the behind-the-scenes events leading to the most anticipated contract signing in recent memory.
That situation prompted insider Frank Servalli, during an appearance on B/R Open Ice published on October 7, to drop a bombshell regarding the negotiations between McDavid and the Oilers:
“Even as recently as Sunday night, there was not one single number, one single contract term that was volleyed back and forth between the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid’s camp. And, I had said for the last few weeks here on the NHL Insider Notebook… that Connor McDavid is going to wake up one day and decide that he either wants to sign or not, and he’s going to write down a number on a piece of paper, and he’s going to tell the Oilers what it is… and the only will nod and say, ‘Thank you Mr. McDavid, we’ll have that drafted up and ready to sign for you.’”
Servalli then doubled down on the point by stating:
“And guess what, the call took five minutes on Monday morning to move that ball in that direction.”
Judging from the way things actually went down, it would certainly seem to indicate that McDavid made up his mind one day and moved forward with a contract extension. It was never on the Oilers to push McDavid’s camp to get a deal done. It was always going to be up to McDavid to signal when he wanted something ready.
McDavid Demonstrates He’s Serious about Winning with Oilers
Connor McDavid had said all the right things throughout the summer. He consistently pledged his commitment to the team and the city. He never wavered or backed down from expressing his desire to win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton.
Now, he has put his money where his mouth is. Although, in this case, it’s more a question of not putting money where his mouth is.
The terms of his extension prove that McDavid is more concerned about winning than making money. Sure, he’ll get paid handsomely for his efforts. But he could have leveraged the situation and stuck it to the Oilers.
Instead, McDavid made the most of his opportunity to demonstrate he was serious about winning with the Oilers. If there was ever any doubt about McDavid following through on his words, he has shattered any lingering questions.
McDavid Contract Issues Pushed further down the Road
While the crisis involving Connor McDavid’s contract extension is over for now, the fact is that the situation has only moved further down the road. The Oilers will have to deal with the same situation in 2027.
If the Oilers have a Cup or two by then, the situation could be much easier to deal with. McDavid will have his ring(s) and his legacy firmly in check. He could pull another Sidney Crosby, sign a team-friendly deal, and ride off into the sunset as he zeroes in on more of Wayne Gretzky’s records.
But what if the Oilers haven’t won anything? What if the Oilers continue to come up short? Worse yet, what if the Oilers regress?
That scenario could place even more pressure on McDavid than this offseason. It will be an interesting next couple of seasons as Edmonton chases history and looks to keep the game’s best player in the fold.
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