For the first time in his NHL career, Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid can test free agency—his eight-year, $100 million contract expires at the end of 2025–26. While that’s a problem for nearly 300 days in the future, there’s been some minor panic in Alberta. In fact, even Prime Minister Mark Carney joined in on the fun.
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“We are in a crisis: the global trading system has been upended, supply chains have been destroyed, McDavid is unsigned,” Carney joked.
He’s being facetious, but there is a non-zero chance that the McDavid situation becomes a hockey-world crisis. The 28-year-old forward became the fourth-fastest player to reach 1,000 career points last season, doing so in just 659 contests.
The Oilers captain finished his 2024–25 campaign with 26 goals and 74 assists for 100 points in 67 games. He has won the Art Ross Trophy, the NHL’s scoring title, five times, and the Hart Trophy for league MVP thrice—he was only drafted in 2015. Leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs in scoring three times in his past four seasons and going to the Final twice, Edmonton has a generational talent on its hands.
McDavid’s contract drama was mostly wild speculation at the start, but his recent “no term” comment has some reconsidering. Now that the idea of leaving the Oilers has come out of his mouth, perhaps the speculation isn’t so wild at all.
Fans, and apparently the Prime Minister, are holding their breath. Given the fact that McDavid is currently adding fuel to the fire, don’t expect to exhale anytime soon.
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