Edmonton Oilers hockey boss Jeff Jackson went on Oilers Now to address with host Bob Stauffer all the rumours and nervous talk around Connor McDavid’s negotiation for a new contract.
“We’re confident we’re going to get a deal done,” Jackson said, saying he had spoken for an hour earlier in the day with McDavid’s agent Judd Moldaver.
Term is still an issue, Jackson said, with any and all term lengths still being considered by McDavid and his camp.
“It’s not as straightforward sometimes as people would like it to be. He’s just taking his time.”
Jackson pointed out it’s only September 2 and the season doesn’t start for five weeks.
“We’re going to get it done at some point, I’m confident of that,” Jackson said.
He added McDavid is not looking to break the bank in terms of his salary and is aware the team has other needs in the line-up in order to compete.
Jackson continued on that in the Oilers front office, “we’re not nervous about it.” He added McDavid has been an Oiler for ten years, that he’s used to playing with the team and living in Edmonton, and that it’s his desire to win that is driving McDavid’s decision making.
The goal of management is to have the team battling for the Stanley Cup right to the end, Jackson said, and that’s happened two years running. “But unfortunately we haven’t got the job done yet. This past year was disappointing… We were really rolling in the playoffs and then we ran into some injuries with Zack Hyman. We really missed him. Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) had a broken head. Ekholm was 70 per cent at best.”
But the team has been very good and will be very good again this year, Jackson said.
McD
Stauffer — who has predicted for months now that McDavid would sign a new deal and expected one to be done by August 28th — said he expects a deal.
“Frankly I’m not that concerned and I don’t think you should be either… it is McDavid watch in Oil Country. But maybe it shouldn’t be that big of a story. ”
His August 28th prediction did not come to fruition, Stauffer said, but added, “I will be surprised if Connor ultimately is not signed before the beginning of the season.”
Stauffer mentioned the comment from NHL insider John Shannon that McDavid would not be signing before the start of the regular season and how some in the Oilers front office were worried.
Lat week on his 100% Hockey podcast, Shannon said, “There are people in Edmonton holding their breath. I think there’s people in the Oilers office holding their breath… It’s not going to be announced in training camp. He’s going to go into the regular season without a new contract.”
At the Cult of Hockey
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Cult of Hockey prospect series 2025
Forwards: Maxim Berezkin (3rd), William Nicholl (9th), Roby Jarventie (11th), Viljami Marjala (12th), Connor Clattenburg (13th), Tommy Lafreniere (14th). David Lewandowski (15th)
Dmen: Atro Leppanen (10th) Paul Fischer (16th), Nikita Yevseyev (18th), Asher Barnett (19th)
Goalies: Nathaniel Day (17th), Eemil Vinni (20th)