Maybe it was always a bit of a fever dream.
But the narrative wouldn't go away this offseason, the idea that after his final year under contract with the Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid would find his way to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
At least for now, those dreams have been pushed aside.
McDavid agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Oilers on Monday. It'll pay him $25 million total ($12.5 million AAV).
The world's best hockey player will now be a free agent after the 2027-28 season.
The Maple Leafs could still target him then, of course. It would likely still take a record-setting contract at that point in time to bring him on board.
The short-term deal is a fascinating dynamic for the entire NHL, not just the Maple Leafs.
The league now knows that McDavid seemingly wants to be a free agent in that summer of 2028. The length of this extension essentially reveals McDavid's preference.
So now any team that thinks it has a real chance of landing him in 2028 can start to plan its roster moves with a looming McDavid in mind.
That can backfire, of course, if McDavid ends up elsewhere.
But there are only so many players to ever skate that have done their job like McDavid. He's a guy worth taking a chance for, even if it doesn't work out.
And now the whole NHL, Maple Leafs included, knows that the summer of 2028 could be the true McDavid sweepstakes.
MORE: Why Connor McDavid took a two-year, lower-money contract