5 Reasons Why Connor McDavid Won’t Re-Sign With the Oilers

The Connor McDavid contract saga has reached a fever pitch, and there is no end in sight.

Check out the five reasons why McDavid won’t re-sign with the Oilers.

1. The Oilers Pipeline is Eroded

For the better part of a decade, the Edmonton Oilers became the envy of the league by accumulating top draft picks after top draft pick. As that nucleus grew, the Oilers’ draft spot fell further down the draft board, making it harder to identify NHL-caliber talent. But even with their shrewd drafting and improved player development, Edmonton’s brass did nothing right to keep those youngsters on the team. Instead, the Oilers have traded away virtually every NHL-ready prospect to patch holes on an incomplete roster, signed an offer sheet elsewhere, or been lost via the waiver wire. In doing so, they’ve alienated their superstar into believing that a bright future doesn’t exist for the Oilers. 

2. Goaltending Remains Sus

Goaltending has rarely been a strength for the Oilers. In the 1980s, Grant Fuhr was the backbone of Edmonton’s dynasty. Bill Ranford captured lightning in a bottle in the early ’90s, and then Dwayne Roloson helped rejuvenate the blue paint at the tail end of the aughts. But since then, there have been few capable netminders standing between the pipes and giving this team the goaltending it deserves. 

This isn’t a shot at Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, but as we’ve seen, they aren’t capable Stanley Cup-winning netminders. This offseason, the Oilers parted ways with long-time goalie coach Dustin Schwartz. Still, it remains to be seen whether that move will precipitate the goaltending improvement the Oilers so desperately need. Until Edmonton can prove that it has addressed its most glaring weakness, McDavid will be unwilling to return to the northernmost NHL team.

3. Kirill Kaprizov’s Contract Reset the Market

The 2026 NHL free agent class could have been the most sought-after group of players ever. That is, until Kirill Kaprizov re-upped with the Minnesota Wild, resetting the contract market.

Just days before the start of the 2025-26 season, Kaprizov signed a record-breaking deal. The Wild forward became the highest-paid player in salary cap history, inking an eight-year $136 million contract for $17 million a season. While his talent is undeniable, Kaprizov doesn’t possess the same once-in-a-generation talent as McDavid. 

The temptation to hold out for more money could be real, and McDavid could elect to find a team that has the salary cap space to surpass Kaprizov’s number. 

4. There’s Nothing Special About Edmonton

When the Edmonton Oilers hosted the end of the 2019-20 COVID-stricken season, they marketed it as a pristine mountain destination, fully aware that it was a four-hour drive to the nearest mountain town. While other cities offer bright lights, serene beaches, or a burgeoning lifestyle scene, Edmonton has the shortest daylight hours and coldest temperatures of any NHL team. 

It seems impossible that McDavid is enamored with the dilapidated West Edmonton Mall or the city that recently voted to remove “City of Champions" as its logo. Assuredly, he will be welcomed into any other market with much more to offer. 

5. The Oilers Just Can’t Win the Stanley Cup

Two years ago, when the Florida Panthers bested the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup final, Connor McDavid was heartbroken. Last season, he was angry. The Oilers’ management failed to build a competent roster that was capable of unseating the defending champions. In fact, the Oilers seemed to move further away from competing, and as a result, McDavid lost faith in this organization’s ability to build a Stanley Cup-winning team.

With their current roster composition, the Oilers just can’t get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup. McDavid has recognized this, which is why he is unlikely to re-sign in Edmonton. 

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