Insider’s Take on McDavid’s Comments Brutal News for Oilers

Hockey’s most trusted insider is hinting that he’s not sure he trusts Connor McDavid, and any notion that he signs with the Edmonton Oilers is a formality. Acknowledging in a recent column, “At face value, I take McDavid at his word,” he also said he’s surprised by the lack of direction and timeline given from McDavid during Wednesday’s media scrum.

McDavid was asked about his contract at the Team Canada Olympic Orientation and responded that he has “every intention to win in Edmonton,” and it was clear that winning is the most important factor in his decision. When asked if he’d be willing to have this drag into the season, he added, “I’d say all options are on the table. I don’t have a preference either way.”

For Friedman, that willingness to play this out means “there’s something imperfect in his [McDavid’s] eyes” when he looks at the Oilers. Friedman adds, “McDavid must be convinced the Oilers will continue to be a serious Stanley Cup contender.”

Is Friedman Overreading McDavid’s Comments?

“As long as he’s unsigned, it’s a massive story”, said the insider. That’s true. What’s also true is that Friedman is making some fairly serious assumptions about what McDavid is thinking in this context. He’s likely not entirely incorrect when he says McDavid cares about winning more than perhaps most other reasons to sign somewhere. However, no team is perfect. To say that McDavid isn’t dragging this out until the Oilers convince him they’ve built a “strong foundation for years to come” might be a leap.