A blockbuster trade proposal has the Edmonton Oilers trading away captain and superstar Connor McDavid in a seven-player deal that would turn the NHL upside down.
As every NHL fan knows, Connor McDavid has yet to sign a new deal with the Oilers. He’s entering the final year of his deal and has been eligible for an extension since July 1, so any concern and anxiety among Edmonton fans is entirely justified.
If McDavid refuses to sign a new deal before the trade deadline, the Oilers must make a difficult decision. Do they keep the best hockey player on the planet for one last run at a Stanley Cup, or do they trade him for a monster haul and rebuild around Leon Draisaitl?
The Hockey Vice Instagram account proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has the Oilers sending McDavid, defenseman Darnell Nurse and goalie Stuart Skinner to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward and 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini, forward and 2023 fourth overall pick Will Smith, goalie Yaroslav Askarov and defenseman Sam Dickinson (the No. 11 pick in 2024).
The Sharks would never consider giving up this much for McDavid unless he signed an extension ahead of time. But hey, crazier things have happened in the NHL.
Oilers Must Trade Connor McDavid If He Won’t Re-Sign
Every year, we see teams give away first-round picks for bottom-six and bottom-pairing defensemen at the trade deadline. Now imagine what the Oilers could get for a generational talent who is, arguably, the greatest hockey player since prime Wayne Gretzky.
Per Chris Johnston of The Athletic, McDavid’s biggest concern with the Oilers is “an aging roster, which he believes can contend again in 2025-26 but which doesn’t look to be constructed to sustain a championship level over the long term.”
If Edmonton trades McDavid, they would certainly get plenty of resources to rebuild a championship roster around Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The bottom line is that they simply can’t risk losing McDavid for nothing in free agency next year.
Edmonton kicks off its 2025-26 season at home against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 8 at Rogers Place.
The post Oilers Shock The NHL By Sending Connor McDavid To Western Conference Rival In Blockbuster Seven-Player Trade Proposal That’s A Win-Win For Both Teams originally published on Total Pro Sports.