Could Connor McDavid (like John Tavares) Head “Home” to Toronto?

As soon as the Edmonton Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year, the focus immediately shifted to Connor McDavid’s future. The 28-year-old superstar has just a season left on his current deal and, as of July 1, became eligible to sign an extension. Yet here we are in September, and nothing is signed.

Most assume McDavid will stay in Edmonton. He’s still playing on one of the best teams in the Western Conference, he has Leon Draisaitl locked in long term, and he continues to dominate the game like no one else. But the longer an extension doesn’t happen, the louder the speculation becomes—particularly in Toronto, where Maple Leafs fans have been dreaming for years about seeing McDavid in blue and white.

John Tavares and Connor McDavid: What They Have in Common

The question is: Could McDavid be facing the same choice John Tavares once did?

Back in 2018, Tavares was the loyal captain of the New York Islanders, insisting he wanted to stay. But when free agency opened, he couldn’t resist the chance to live out his childhood dream and sign with the team he grew up idolizing—the Maple Leafs. McDavid may be weighing a similar decision. Here are three reasons it could happen.

Reason 1. McDavid Might Feel the Pull of Home

McDavid grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, just north of Toronto. Like Tavares before him, he’s a product of the GTA hockey culture, raised in the shadow of the Maple Leafs. Playing for his hometown team would be more than just a career move—it would be fulfilling a lifelong dream.

For players of McDavid’s stature, legacy matters as much as money. Ending Toronto’s decades-long Stanley Cup drought would elevate him into hockey immortality in a way even bringing one Cup to Edmonton might not. That opportunity—coming home and winning where it matters most—will always linger in the back of his mind.

Reason 2. McDavid Might Want a Roster That Could Win Immediately

Oilers fans will argue that Edmonton is closer to winning than Toronto, and in some ways, that’s fair. But if McDavid were to join the Maple Leafs, the balance of power could shift overnight. Imagine a forward group built around Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Connor McDavid. That’s a lineup that would instantly become the favourite to win the Cup, not just in 2026–27, but for years to come.

Toronto is not a rebuilding team. Brad Treliving has already reshaped the roster by moving on from Mitch Marner and adding pieces around the core. With McDavid, the Maple Leafs wouldn’t just be contenders—they’d be overwhelming favourites.

Reason 3. McDavid Might Want to Enhance His Personal Life & Long-Term Roots

There’s another wrinkle here. McDavid’s wife, Lauren Kyle, is from Edmonton, and the couple has built their life in Alberta. On the surface, that would seem to make staying more likely. But it can cut both ways. Having family ties and personal stability may actually give McDavid more freedom to choose hockey opportunities based on legacy, not just comfort.

Tavares faced a similar dilemma when he left Long Island. He wasn’t unhappy with the Islanders, but he wanted the chance to come home and put down roots where he grew up. McDavid may not decide today or even this season, but if he wants to finish his career in Toronto, he’ll have both personal and professional reasons to make it work.