The Edmonton Oilers might as well be proposing to Connor McDavid on the jumbotron for all to see.
And instead of him accepting as the crowd cheers taking the blissful union to the next level, the entire city is now witnessing the awkward, eerie silence that’s followed since the superstar centre became eligible to sign a contract extension back on July 1.
And with the regular season right around the corner, they have both returned to live under the same roof and try to go about their business as usual, as McDavid heads into the eighth and final year of his current deal.
Is he unhappy here? Does he have eyes for another? What could he possibly be thinking?
If it sounds like the makings of a poorly written TV soap opera, just know it hasn’t stopped Oilers fans from tuning in to every word that’s been said.
So far, however, it’s been a whole lot of nothing.
Nothing substantial, anyway. And there is no indication anything will change before the puck drops on the season-opener at Rogers Place on Oct. 8, with the next 82 games to come potentially being his last kick at the can with the only NHL team he’s ever played for, before becoming the most sought after free agent in NHL history next summer.
Nobody wants to see that. Not around here, anyway. Not the Oilers. And certainly not their fans.
But what does McDavid want — like, actually want — to get out of this whole hullabaloo?
He is his own man. And the only one who can truly know what he’s thinking. But that doesn’t stop the rest of us from trying to climb inside his mind and walk a mile in his skates. Or is it skate a mile in his shoes?
What would it be like to peer inside his head?
Is it purely business, or could there be more to it than that?
For a guy who can write his own ticket anywhere he wants to go, it’s not like he’s holding out for money or term. This isn’t a negotiation, after all. What McDavid says goes. End of discussion.
And therein lies a clue that might offer a hint into the reasoning behind the holdup.
When McDavid is on the ice, he in charge of the game. He sets the pace and everyone else, teammates and opponents alike, better try and keep up or get out of the way. No one can tell him what’s what. And if anyone tries, chances are he won’t stick around long enough to offer a response. Unless it’s on the scoreboard.
Away from the ice, however, he might not have been in such control of his own hockey career.
What if throughout the whole thing, beginning as soon as he found himself on an ultra-elite path as a youngster, McDavid has been told exactly what he needed to do and where he had to go?
It’s not hard to imagine everything being laid out for him from a young age: How and when to train. What to eat. What teams he would play for. What path to take when he turned junior. All with an eye on the best route of development to reach the pros.
And it’s only intensified once he arrived there, beginning with getting drafted first overall and told he was going to play in Edmonton.
Sure, he’s his own adult and has his own life away from the rink. He got married and enjoys friends and family. And you can bet he tries to make the most out of his off-season time, as short as they’ve been lately.
But in season, it’s right back to being scheduled where and when to practice, when to get on a plane and where to play. Sure, that part’s the same for every NHL player. But McDavid’s different. Not everyone becomes the face of the franchise — not to mention poster boy for the entire league — both of which come with more duties and responsibilities that involve being told, once again, where to go, how to dress and when to smile.
And where does he go to get away from it?
Certainly not a quick stop at the neighbourhood liquor store to pick up beer on the way to a buddy’s. We’ve seen how that scenario plays out with video of him basically being mobbed by his adoring fans as he tries his best to be cordial and continue on his way.
He can’t exactly go anywhere and do anything, like the rest of us take for granted.
Part-time professional puppet? Part-time public prisoner? The only time he’s really in control is when he’s out on the ice.
So, what if this time, his looming contract situation offers a rare moment in his life where he can finally feel like he’s taking control back. The organization, to their credit, would bend over backward for him anyway. But right now, if he said jump, they wouldn’t even ask how high, they’d put in the maximum effort. And wouldn’t stop until he said so.
Right now, he and only he will determine the where, the when and the how of the next step of his remarkable career. And everyone else can go ahead and wait while he takes his sweet time savouring this moment.
What is on the line?
This is, after all, the point where McDavid’s professional career could be having a mid-life crisis. Ten years in without a Stanley Cup to show for all his blood, sweat and tears. That’s how long Wayne Gretzky played here, and he left with all four of his championships.
The comparisons might be unfair, but, hey, who else are you going to compare those two against?
McDavid knows another 10 good years is about all he can hope for before another couple teams take him at the tail end just to have him. So, this next contract could be big. Do-or-die kind of stuff. Or not, and a smaller bridge deal sets up an even bigger one down the road when the cap increases even further.
And, yes, there is something to be said about McDavid holding Oilers management’s feet to the flames when it comes to showing what they can do for him in the near future. That could play a part in him not wanting to roll over and jump right back into the big orange and blue bed.
It all contributes to his decision. But right now, McDavid is making sure everyone knows it is going to be his decision to make. He’s in control of the where and when.
What could go wrong?
The danger, of course, is what if he ends up suffering a serious injury in the meantime? How many millions would be left on the table without a new contract locked down?
Former teammate John Klingberg provides a cautionary tale.
In 2022, the then-Dallas Stars defenceman turned down what would have been a $56-million contract in search of $8 million over eight years, instead of $7 million.
What followed was injuries marking a decline in both his performance and contract numbers, as the Oilers brought him back into the fold ahead of last year’s playoff run at $1.75 million.
The moral of the story is nothing should be taken for granted, and anything can happen at any time.
McDavid knows this. He’s been injured before. That shows just how much having this time to himself means to him. And it’s obviously not enough to make him rush the decision.
E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
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