Where Will Connor McDavid Play In 2026? w/ Chris Johnston | SDP

Where Will Connor McDavid Play In 2026? w/ Chris Johnston | SDP

if he doesn’t sign this rumored 2-year, three-year pact with the Oilers this summer that that has been thrown out there a little bit now I’m not hearing so much about it. If that doesn’t happen and he does go to free agency next July, how does one whatever city they’re in position themselves to be a team that he would want to join? It’s simple. It’s well, okay, sorry. It’s simple for me to sit here and say it’s hard to execute. You need to have the cap space to sign him and be able to prove to him demonstrabably that you have a chance to win once you sign him to that contract. If you can line it up like that, I think you’re you’re in the I think you’re in the ball game. So, if you’re the Raptors minus Kawaii, like the season after Kawaii, remember where everybody was like, man, if Kawaii was here, they would have won again. And they made it what where they go to seven seven games in the second round, was it? Yeah, they lost to Boston. Boston and it was in that bubble playoff, but that was still an amazing team. They were a Kawawaii Leonard away. Do the Toronto beliefs need to be that like you need to be forcing teams to the absolute max even if you can’t quite get over the hump. Let’s get, you know, get you need to have a plan because more than anything, like we all know the contract wherever if if Connor extends in Edmonton or if he ends up signing a free agent contract in 2026, we all know there’s no negotiation. It’s literally he’s going to pick his terms more or less, right? So, it’s not about it. It’s so it’s about everything else around that. we can accommodate, make you the highest paid player in the game, which you should be, and this is why we’re going to win, and this is what we have, and this is our plan, and this is how we’re going to attack the summer. I mean, I I don’t know what’s going to happen here, quite honestly. I mean, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves, but sure, look, it it’s been two weeks that he could have extended Edmonton, and to my knowledge, there’s been no discussions about an extension yet. That being said, I think it’s a fivem minute phone call. if uh if uh his agent John Mulaver wants to do a contract with the Oilers, I it’s just a matter of getting the other side on the you know, well, we’re preparing right now, you know, fill in the numbers. Um so, but if he becomes a free agent, of course, the Leafs, they they’ve been nuts, but I but again, I think it’s any of the original six teams are probably feeling like they’re could be in that mix if they’re good enough. Obviously, some of them aren’t uh at this point in time. I think it’s really any of the like Vegas probably has to think about it. I don’t know how they do it. I’m imagining they’ve already signed MNER. I’m imagining they’re going to extend Eel who’s a year out from Will Eel make more than Mner. I hope so. God, I hope so. Will he? I don’t know. You don’t know? He might make the same. Maybe that’s the way you go about it. I I’m not sure. Okay. I don’t know where they’re at with that those discussions, but those I mean Capri off could be available. Uh, Capri off. I would be surprised if he doesn’t shine in Minnesota. It It sounds like they will give him whatever he wants. I believe he’ll get more than dryidle. He’ll become Wow. for a time. The highest paid player. I guess he wouldn’t because a contract doesn’t kick in till July 1st, 2026, even if he signs it now. Yeah. And by that point, McDavid will be signing somewhere or will have signed somewhere with the Oilers. So, he may never actually be the exact highest paid, but he’s go I it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets something like 15 million. Wow. Wow. long term. Oh, yeah. Okay. I mean, if he’s if he’s signing, he’s going to be one of these last remaining guys who gets an eight-year deal, I think, if if he stays in Minnesota. Can I throw a name out there for Connor? Um, Carolina. They just they feel like they always have such a solid team and like a weird amount of cap space for a team as good as they are. Yeah, they they have their problem is has been attracting those players, right? That like that was the problem with Miko Randon. They I give them credit for that set of moves. I I know somehow they were taking criticism for it. First of all, I think they made out okay on net in the series of moves. Yes. Like I don’t think they’re any further behind. People have to remember they weren’t going to be able to sign Martin Nations either. So they traded him before that became an official problem. It was already an unofficial problem in their minds, you know. But Ranton didn’t want to sign there. But they gave themselves a chance to at least sell him on it. Come hang out with our fins a little bit. Look, it wasn’t for him. That’s that’s totally fine. and they at least put themselves in that conversation. They wanted to to make an aggressive pitch to Mitch Martner. They didn’t get a chance, right? When when we talk about why’ they make the trade, Jesse. Mhm. A team like Carolina like I don’t know what the number would have been for them, but it would have been bigger than 12* 8. I’m sure of that, right? And so and that’s where for if you’re on the Vegas end of that, you’re just you’re un like could they put something monster in front of him that changes his mind. Yeah, he didn’t want to come here March 7th, but when there’s this dollar figure attached to it, maybe. I mean again, yeah, if if you get a Leon Dryidle type number, you’re kind of like, yeah, maybe Mitch, you don’t have to live there forever. Wherever Wherever there is, right? It’s you have to remember all these players careers are relatively short. Yeah. Uh and you make all that money and then you live where you want to live the rest of the time. Every place is probably a good place to make 14 mil. Yes. Yeah. You And I know you guys have been playing the no trade game. There really aren’t any bad places to live in the NHL. Every city has it. When you’re making this kind of money, there’s there’s a reason to live in every of the 32 markets. Yeah. And you’re talking about Carol. Even Ottawa, Steve. I saw Well, the Lretin flats aren’t real. We know that that does. It’s just a madeup alleged Ottawa. I’m pretty sure it just skips from Nepian Gatnau. My nephew is he lives in Ottawa, but he’s a massive Sens fan, so I have to send Sense on his behalf. A likely story, CJ. Oh, he lives in Ottawa. Jesse, I’m not kidding. I saw him this weekend. It’s July weekend and he was wearing a Sens jersey at my dad’s house. Wow. I’m just saying like even in July he’s wearing a Sens jersey. Like he is he has the passion the the Sens version of of what you guys are all infected with. He’s he’s a sicko. He’s a sicko for sure. Yeah. Carolina coming out uh I think net positive with that deal. Stanovven’s still on that uh ELC upcoming for next season. Like he’s making 800 grand to be their second line right winger behind Jarvis. Like that’s a ridiculous contract to play with for this season. I think Carolina is an underrated in in an underrated position right now uh in the league in terms of the cap space and the amount of talent they have. And they’re dying for that superstar. Yeah. And you know, look at they they’re thrilled to get Naiers as they should be, right? They they pop him up there on the top line as you’re showing and and you know so he he maybe scratches that itch to a degree but you can be sure if number 97 is available they much like they were prepared to make a monster offer to Mitch Marner I am certain they would be in the position where they’d want to do that with McDavid now and I don’t know if they can win like I I don’t really know it’s too soon to say to handicap who’s the most likely or anything like that again we’re in probably the most likely is Edmonton frankly to to resign Conor McDavid if we’re being clear here. But if in this alternate universe where next summer we get a free agent, I mean what is the equivalent if Conor McDavid ever went to free agency? I don’t know in NHL history because he’s still at the peak of his Yeah. Gretzky. We’re talking the decision like we got to cross sports. We got to go LeBron going to Miami. They would they would have the live ESPN feed I think 100%. like it’s it’s so unprecedented in the salary cap world of the NHL for a player to get to free agency that I think you got to cross sports to find an equivalent, right? And he would be doing it at this time when the cap is like taking monster leading like it’s this really unique period in time. Mhm. You you know it must be in his mind a little bit. Oh yeah. And like the Otani stuff that happened what was that two off seasons ago in Major League Baseball. Like we’re we’re talking the exact same. I’m still not over that too soon. Conor McDavid is on a plane. He’s on a plane to Toronto right now. Honestly, with with the passion that these hockey fan bases have, I see the same thing playing out where people are following the jet that whatever Connor’s on to go sign this contract. Absolutely. It could be so much fun. Jet, it’s Oh, he’s going he’s going to Winnipeg. Is it CJ? Can you confirm?

Steve Dangle, Adam Wylde and Jesse Blake are joined by reporter Chris Johnston to discuss the future of NHL Superstar Connor McDavid. Will he re-sign in Edmonton? What teams will likely be in the running to sign him if he hits free-agency in 2026?

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