Connor McDavid has been in Edmonton for 10 years. What’s he making an attempt to really feel out?
TSN: Chris Johnston when requested what Connor McDavid is making an attempt to really feel out. He’s been with the Edmonton Oilers for 10 years and is aware of the scenario.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jeff O’Neill: “CJ, that’s that’s fantastic and dandy and all the things. You’ve gotten the correct to do while you’re the perfect participant within the universe, you are able to do no matter you need. However we have been discussing within the first section how I discovered it odd how he needs to try this, and it’s he’s additionally so aware of the scenario. Like this man’s been there for 10 years. It’s not a state of affairs the place he’s simply obtained traded to San Jose final yr, and he needed to really feel just a few issues out.
In order that begs the query, what precisely is the sensation out? Like, does he need to see if there’s a goaltending change? Does he need to see if one thing shored up in a sure space? Like, that’s, that’s what, while you do that, it’s going to go away it open to questions on, what are you feeling out right here? You already know what I imply.
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Johnston: “Yeah, they usually’re honest questions, you realize, they usually’re questions that I’m certain will proceed to be requested of him, so long as that is unresolved and is sort of in the established order stage it’s proper now. And, you realize, I don’t assume it’s only one factor, you realize.
Look, this staff has been to 2 straight Stanley Cup Finals, however I do know the inner feeling in Edmonton is that they took a step again from 2024 to 2025. That, you realize, look, it was, it says loads about how nice a staff they’re, that they have been right down to the final two standing, however they they misplaced floor to the Panthers in that 12 months.
You already know, it may very well be that Conor needs to see, you realize, what the staff has this season. How do issues begin? How does it really feel? I imply, you realize, I simply assume he’s actually can be involved, and this isn’t simply with Edmonton, it’s wherever he would possibly take into consideration enjoying at any time. It’s he’s not going to need to field himself in someplace the place he doesn’t really feel that he has an excellent probability to win.
And so, you realize, I don’t know what it will likely be for him that kind of says, Okay, that is the perfect spot to remain right here with the Oilers, you realize. However you have a look at the opposite gamers on that staff, and, you realize, he’s talked loads, referencing this season, like, I believe he’s right to take a look at the staff this yr and say they’ve obtained a superb shot. They might not have taken a giant step ahead in any means that we will pinpoint this summer time, however they actually, I don’t assume, took large steps again. And so they’ve simply been to these two Cup finals.
So, you realize, I do assume that he simply needs to get actually snug with the concept regardless of the subsequent contract is, that he’s going to have an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup in that enjoying season. As a result of, you realize, he performed all these years you talked about. He’s been the highest participant within the sport. You already know, 8, 100 level seasons already. He’s been a number one playoff level getter three of the final 4 years, and it hasn’t been ok for his staff to win the cup. And you realize, you’ve heard him too in among the interviews I noticed, the one he gave to Ryan Rashad final evening. You already know, he’s talked about that he feels stress, that he could be even higher.
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However, you realize, I believe at a sure level, for those who’re him, how far more do it’s important to give? You already know, I’d hate to place that problem in entrance of him, as a result of it looks like he can do just about something he places his thoughts to. However you realize, he’s obtained to really feel like he’s surrounded by the correct probabilities to win. He thinks that’s the case this season. He’s underneath contract with the Oilers, however I believe beginning 2026, 27 he’s obtained some some questions that he’s nonetheless working by means of that course of.
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