‘Whenever he’s ready’: Oilers’ GM Stan Bowman ready to work on Connor McDavid’s timeline for extension talks

As Oil Country buzzes with trepidation, awaiting more news about whether Connor McDavid may or may not sign a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers, general manager Stan Bowman said the team is ready to wait.

And that’s not because the Oilers don’t want to sign him — in fact, the opposite. Bowman said Friday during a season-ending press conference that the team wants to be respectful of the timing of when negotiations kick off.

“Connor’s the best player in the league, the most important player in the league,” said Bowman. “He’s our captain, he’s our leader, so certainly, he’s the number one priority.

“I think also listening to Connor’s take on things, he’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his timing. Certainly, we’re eager to meet with him whenever he wants, but we also understand he just went through a really rough ending to the season. So, timing-wise, Connor’s going to drive that process, but there’s no question he’s a pivotal player on our team and not just what he does on the ice, but his leadership.

“I’ve had a chance to work with him now this year and have just been so impressed with things you guys probably don’t see — how good of a teammate he is. He’s incredibly important to our group, and whenever he’s ready, we’re going to dive into that.”

McDavid, 28, spoke with the media on Thursday, saying whatever decision he makes has to be one that’s best for him and his family. The comments are in line with what nearly any player would say in his shoes, including teammate and best friend Leon Draisaitl, who continues his public lobbying for McDavid to extend — months before he extended his contract for eight years.

Despite that, McDavid was adamant about feeling as if there was unfinished business in Edmonton.

“My message to the fans would be to keep being patient and keep believing in them because they’ve been through a lot, obviously, as you said, just like our team has, the emotional highs, the lows,” he said. “I look at what these playoff runs do to my family. It’s hard on them. It’s hard on the fans. It’s hard on everybody.

“But ultimately, when that day comes, it’ll all be worth it. These moments are tough now, and it’s tough to look to that. But when that moment comes, it’ll be worth the wait for sure.”

There’s no denying that McDavid’s next contract will be a massive one, making him the highest-paid player in the National Hockey League — and it will be rightly deserved. While his $12.5 million per year deal he’ll play the last year of this season, was one that had him as the highest paid player for the first five years, it’s expected he’ll raise the bar once again.

What will be key for McDavid and the Oilers in discussions is balancing giving McDavid was he’s due and allowing the organization to continue to put pieces in place to help push the team over the top.