After months of speculation and rumors, Connor McDavid's future with the Edmonton Oilers could be nearing an inflection point.
The puck drops on opening night in the NHL tomorrow, and the Oilers begin their season the following night against the rival Calgary Flames. That normally generates a buzz and excitement as everyone starts fresh on a new year, but in Edmonton, it's more of a tense feeling.
As of Monday morning on October 6th, McDavid remains unsigned and is creeping uncomfortably close to entering the season as a pending UFA for the Oilers and their fan base's liking.
Many have suggested that the captain would make a decision before the games begin for real, and according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, that is the case, as we should have some news one way or another in the coming days. Here was what he had to say during the latest edition of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast."
"Reading the tea leaves here, I do think that McDavid wants to give the Oilers clarity before the season begins by either signing or explaining why specifically he wouldn't sign. So I think we're going to have an idea, one way or another, in the next day or two," Friedman said.
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The 28-year-old would be entering the final season of the eight-year, $100 million contract extension he signed with the Oilers back in 2017.
What could McDavid sign for?
With some of the massive contracts that have recently been handed out around the NHL, headlined by Kirill Kaprizov's record-breaking deal, the question is, how much is the world's best player now worth?
While everyone believes he should surpass Kaprizov's $17 million average annual salary, according to Friedman, that's not a guarantee with several other factors at play.
"I think if he does (sign), it'll be short-term. I'm not even convinced it's going to be as long as four years, if he signs. I think it could be less than that. And as I've been saying all the way along, I think it's going to be lower than many people expect, below $16 million, if he signs. I would be surprised if it's close to that," Friedman said.
Connor McDavid is obviously more worried about winning a Stanley Cup and prioritizing his family as opposed to chasing the largest contract in league history.
Buckle up, hockey fans, because this situation could get really interesting depending on the decision McDavid comes to ahead of opening night.