Former NHL tough guy and Redwater, Alberta native, Todd Fedoruk made some interesting comments this past week. During an interview he suggested he’s heard that Connor McDavid himself would be interested in joining the Philadelphia Flyers. 

To be clear, Fedoruk didn't just say that the Flyers would like to add McDavid. He suggested that McDavid might search out a way to go to Philadelphia. 

Fedoruk said:

“He is going to be a player who will be calling teams. His agent is going to be looking for him to go places. There are rumors that Philadelphia is a place that Connor McDavid wants to go.”

There's a lot to unpack here. 

First, of course someone in another market is talking about McDavid joining "their team". It happens in Toronto, it happens in Los Angeles, it probably happens in Atlanta where an expansion team could be in the cards several years down the road. It's the fun narrative to run with. Fedoruk is not alone here. 

Second, the Flyers just took a HUGE swing to try and add Leo Carlsson via an $18 million AAV offer sheet. It didn't work, but GM Daniel Briere wasn't afraid to make a move, suggesting he's looking for a home run bomb. People would easily believe that Briere would throw everything at McDavid, if he somehow became available or he asked out of Edmonton. 

Third, as long as McDavid doesn't have a long term contract (he's signed for two more seasons), he'll be the subject of trade rumors. 

However, Fedoruk conveniently overlooks several key factors as he makes his comments. 

For starters, there's no evidence McDavid wants out right now. Sure, the Oilers didn't perform as well as hoped last season, but the Oilers captain just spent the summer helping his team find a new coach. The Oilers went in a polarizing direction, in part, because McDavid wanted it. That's not the behaviour of someone who is looking to leave. He's taking a swing and going all in on the Oilers. He's tied to the Mike Babcock hire like no else. McDavid can't simply walk away right now, at least not without looking like a real piece of work. 

From there, Fedoruk talks as though McDavid and his agent are free to call the Flyers and talk about his future there. They aren't. That would be tampering and if McDavid's agent picked up the phone and talked to Briere about McDavid coming there --without expressed consent from the Oilers to do so (even then, there's a very grey areas of what's allowed) -- both the Flyers and McDavid could get in big trouble. 

if the Oilers eventually elect to gauge the market on a McDavid trade, they can talk to Briere and the Flyers. That doesn't mean McDavid or his agent can. 

When he's a free agent, have at it. If's he's traded there and the team wants to talk extension at that time, they can make it official on July 1 of 2027. 

So, yeah. Anything you hear about McDavid going to the Flyers or looking to join the team is just another story being told for attention. 

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