McDavid still wants to win with Edmonton Oilers despite early playoff exit: report
A first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks means changes are coming for the Edmonton Oilers.
The organization is almost certainly going to be bringing in a new goalie, and could also make a change behind the bench. That said, the biggest chatter online is what the future holds for Connor McDavid.
Shortly before the 2025-26 season got underway, McDavid shocked the world by agreeing to a very team-friendly, two-year, $25-million deal. He did so in order to leave money for Oilers management to try to build a more competitive team.
Instead, GM Stan Bowman elected to take on the contract of Tristan Jarry, while also signing Trent Frederic to an eight-year deal. Given all the mishaps from Oilers management over the years, one couldn’t possibly blame McDavid for wanting to take a crack at the Stanley Cup elsewhere.
Oilers fans can breathe a sigh of relief, however, as their captain appears to be remaining loyal yet again.
“McDavidâs burning desire to bring the Oilers to the promised land remains despite the setback, according to league sources,” Chris Johnston and Sean Gentille wrote in a new column for The Athletic.
Still, the 29-year-old’s patience seems to be wearing thin. According to Johnston and Gentille, he’s going to be closely monitoring the decisions made by management going forward.
“Heâs likely going to expect management to deliver on specific roster adjustments this summer, rather than accepting general promises,” the article reads.
At the top of that list will be to find an adequate starting goaltender. After that, this team could benefit from better penalty killers and would love to add a scoring winger. The question is, do they have the cap space to do all that?
While it won’t be easy, Bowman will have to figure out a way to improve this roster in a way that meets McDavid’s standards this offseason. If not, this team risks being extremely mediocre once again in 2026-27, which could force McDavid’s hand in wanting to win elsewhere.
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