It started with a few simple words from Connor McDavid, which was then followed by insiders dissecting what he didn't say. This led to opinions being treated as fact and potential trade scenarios. McDavid saying he intends to "win in Edmonton" caused a firestorm of reaction. Imagine if he said anything that was considered a real update?

Everything McDavid says or doesn't say will be frontpage news until a contract extension is signed. Because he's willing to take his time on that matter, the uncertainty of his future is casting a shadow over the upcoming 2025-26 season. It's not what McDavid wants, but that's the reality of his situation. 

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All the while, the Oilers are trying to play it cool, pretending like they aren't "holding their breath" as long-time NHL analyst John Shannon suggests. 

Of course, with no official update on extension talks, the fans and media need to talk about something. That's why posts like the one from World Hockey Report asked: “If the Oilers were to trade Connor McDavid, what would the ideal return be?”

As one might imagine, the responses were all over the map, raising the ire of Oilers fans even further. 

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This McDavid Situation Is Starting To Worry People

As the 2025-26 NHL season approaches, uncertainty gives way to panic. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug recently suggested that the possibility of McDavid entering the season without a contract extension is “more real than perhaps thought” a few months ago. While McDavid’s agent, Judd Moldaver, continues to explore options, nothing has been finalized. For Oilers fans, this is the last thing they want to hear. Each day that passes means another report like this potentially surfacing and the once-certain future of McDavid with the Oilers becomes a bit less certain.

What might happen if the superstar remains unsigned? Are we ultimately discussing a trade here?

The implications of McDavid starting the season without a deal are enormous. First, there is the distraction factor. McDavid has repeatedly said that he doesn’t want his contract situation to be a distraction, but that’s exactly what it will be. Even if questions don’t arise at every game in Edmonton, the media in every market will probe McDavid and his teammates for details. Everyone will give carefully rehearsed answers, but over time, even well-trained responses wear thin. The pressure on the roster to stay focused will be intense.

Any team rumored to have ever shown interest in McDavid, no matter how small the connection, will watch every move. Their media base will be covering the story, some of whom will overlook their own big-name pending UFAs. This is a season-long narrative that the Oilers would rather avoid.

And while McDavid has made it clear he has “no preference” on when the deal is signed, the uncertainty itself creates tension for everyone. 

Fan Response Will Turn From Fear To Frustration

The longer this extension drags out, the more fans will go from panic to frustration. Who they take their frustrations out on remains to be seen. Some will choose management. Others will choose McDavid, turning on the superstar if he makes all involved wait too long. 

The fan response to the hypothetical trade scenario illustrates just how whacky things could get. Some fans offered serious trade packages, including prospects, young stars, and multiple first-round picks. Other fans leaned into the chaos, with one fan writing: “Zero percent chance you get anything close to his actual value.”

Of course, reports like the one from Shannon on his  100% Hockey podcast will appear much more frequently.  He believes McDavid will head into the 2025-26 campaign without a new contract in place. He's in the minority. That won't last long. 

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal echoed the worry: “If Shannon says this, he’s heard it from a reliable source. That has me worried. What’s the hold-up? If it’s just McDavid evaluating the team, that could make for many unsettling months.”

Eventually, if this drags out long enough, fans will start to realize that McDavid is entering the final year of his current deal with full leverage, including a no-movement clause. He can dictate timing, structure, and conditions of a trade if one has to be made. If McDavid remains unconvinced that Edmonton is where he wants to spend his future, do the Oilers abandon their Cup quest in order to get something for the most significant potential trade asset in decades?

If McDavid makes that hard for the Oilers to do, fans will turn. 

The stakes are incredibly high: moving McDavid now would decrease Edmonton’s championship chances, while keeping him without an extension risks losing the team’s biggest asset for nothing if negotiations break down.

While McDavid and his agent continue to weigh the options, the entire league — and especially Edmonton — are waiting patiently. It won't take long before patience runs out. 

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