The Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid haven’t begun formal contract negotiations yet, but the captain made his intentions clear Wednesday.
“Take my time and go through everything. I have every intention to win in Edmonton,” McDavid told media during Canada’s Olympic orientation camp, including TSN.
“It’s my only focus. It would be nice to win a gold medal with Canada, but it is my intention to win there (in Edmonton).”
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported Wednesday that McDavid’s camp and the Oilers haven’t exchanged numbers on term or money yet.
The three-time MVP said he’s unsure if he’ll sign before the season starts in October.
“All options are on the table, we’re going through it. I don’t have a preference either way,” McDavid said. “I want the (Oilers) to be as dialed in as possible and not have any distractions.”
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said in late July that he’s encouraged by early talks between the club and agent Judd Moldaver. He expected negotiations to ramp up soon.
McDavid became eligible to sign a new deal July 1. He’ll become a pending unrestricted free agent in July 2026 if no extension is agreed upon by then.
The captain said he’s in no rush after the Oilers lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers this spring. He noted that re-signing in Edmonton would be an easy choice as long as the organization remains committed to building a winner.
McDavid currently carries a $12.5-million cap hit and will again in 2025-26.
The Oilers are projected to have over $44 million in cap space for their 2026-27 roster, according to PuckPedia. That’s the first year of McDavid’s potential new deal.
Edmonton awarded Leon Draisaitl a $14-million AAV extension and Evan Bouchard a $10.5-million AAV deal over the past year.
McDavid missed 15 games last season due to injuries and suspension but still hit the 100-point mark for the fifth consecutive year. He’s reached that milestone eight times in 10 NHL campaigns.
