A sickening second Stanley Cup finals loss in a row for Oilers captain Connor McDavid means the discourse around his future in Edmonton is higher than ever, and recent comments made by the player may be a way of mounting some much needed pressure on the Oilers front office as the captain sends an unnerving message about his future.
McDavid who has failed to earn Stanley Cup glory for the second time running alongside long time teammates Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said ‘It’s only been a couple days [...] take time to regroup, talk to my agent, my family, and make the decision when the time comes’ when asked about his contract ending after next season, supposedly as a way to pile on the pressure for an improved roster this summer.
The team who lost in terrible fashion after barely even putting up a fight during game six in Florida have some big decisions to make during the offseason, and with a big cast of key players heading to free agency, McDavid’s recent comments may fuel some critical decisions ahead.
With players like Evan Bouchard, Trent Frederic, and Corey Perry all pending free agents, and cap space not on their side, some serious budget cuts and sacrifices may need to be made. One area most believe McDavid is seeming to put on pressure is the goalie situation. With Skinner not looking the one for the Oilers, and little effort to improve the worsening goaltending situation at the trade deadline, McDavid’s unclear comments could fuel the Oilers to listen to player demands, and make changes to a team that needs some housekeeping.
Although the former MVP will likely play to the end of his deal next season, the Oilers front office have now officially been given their wake up call, and some serious roster and even coaching changes could be made to better the situation after a year of lazy and uncalculated decisions in the dying stages.
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