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7 Way-Too-Early Free-Agency Landing Spots for Connor McDavid
After losing their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers are heading into a potentially significant summer. It could kick off one of the biggest stories in the NHL, namely Connor McDavid's contract situation and potential free agency.
McDavid has only one year remaining on his current contract and will be eligible to sign a new extension this summer. Whenever he signs a new deal, it should be one of the biggest contracts in NHL history, as he's the best player of this generation on offense and already one of the best players of all time.
But will that next contract come with the Oilers?
The smart bet on that would be yes, because that's usually how these things work. Players at this level generally do not change teams, especially not in their primes. Whichever team is lucky enough to get them usually hands them a blank check. There is a very good chance that happens again here.
But until that contract gets signed and/or until McDavid wins a championship with the Oilers, there's bound to be speculation regarding his future.
So, let's take a look at some way-too-early potential free-agency destinations for McDavid should he end up hitting the open market in the summer of 2026.
Edmonton Oilers
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McDavid staying with the Oilers is the most likely outcome, and it probably should be the expected outcome.
The Oilers have the advantage of having a full year to negotiate with him. Players of this caliber do not typically hit unrestricted free agency in their prime, and the Oilers have shown they can reach the Stanley Cup Final. The championship he's still seeking is within reach.
With Leon Draisaitl already signed for $14 million per season and defenseman Evan Bouchard set to get his own massive contract extension after this season, the Oilers could soon have three players making more than $12 million per season, including two making more than $14 million per season if they re-sign McDavid.
With the salary cap continuing to rise significantly, the Oilers should be able to withstand that, even if it means eating money elsewhere on the roster. It's easier to dump and replace complementary players than it is to find another Connor McDavid.
Unless McDavid is adamant on leaving Edmonton, the Oilers should be able to retain him. But what if he does decide to leave?
Toronto Maple Leafs
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The Maple Leafs already have their own superstar and No. 1 center in Auston Matthews. But if McDavid ever does become available, Toronto would have to find a way to get involved in the bidding.
After all, how often would Canada's biggest hockey market have a chance to acquire Canada's best player? Especially one that was born in the Greater Toronto Area?
And if the Maple Leafs keep fizzling out in the playoffs, they'll be under even more pressure to keep making dramatic changes to fix that.
They could have a dominant 1-2 punch of McDavid and Matthews down the middle, or they could do something bold by trading Matthews for a haul and replacing him with McDavid at the top. That wouldn't be a very NHL-type of thing for a team to do, but McDavid hitting free agency would likely change plenty of teams' approach.
New York Rangers
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The NHL would love to see its biggest star playing in its biggest market, and the Rangers would undoubtedly love to have a franchise-changing player at the top of their lineup. It would go a long way to kick-start excitement in Manhattan, especially after everything went so far off the rails during the 2024-25 season.
The Rangers have $11 million coming off the books next summer when Artemi Panarin becomes an unrestricted free agent, and they'll look to move on from Mika Zibanejad's contract at some point. They could easily create the cap flexibility to sign McDavid.
Vegas Golden Knights
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A good rule of thumb to follow in the NFL is that if a top-line player becomes available, just assume the Vegas Golden Knights are going to figure out a way to squeeze their way into it. They always do.
Salary cap? What salary cap?! They'll figure it out later.
There is some added intrigue here because Vegas' top player, Jack Eichel, is also set to enter the final year of his contract, while Mark Stone only has two years remaining on his deal.
In other words: Vegas could potentially have a lot of money coming off the books in in the near future, and it may need to land another superstar.
Eichel is great. He helped Vegas win a Stanley Cup. But when has loyalty ever been a thing for the Golden Knights? This is the most cutthroat, win-at-all-costs organization in the NHL.
If there is even a small chance that McDavid could be available, they'll likely be plotting a way to get involved.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Mario Lemieux. Jaromir Jagr. Sidney Crosby. Evgeni Malkin.
Having the best players in the NHL is pretty much the Pittsburgh Penguins' calling card. Star power is in their DNA and has been for the past 40 years.
Why not continue that legacy?
Yes, the Penguins are in the early stages of a rebuild. They might not be particularly good during the 2025-26 season, and they might end up playing their way into the top of the draft lottery. Even with that being the case, general manager Kyle Dubas still seems adamant about competing again while Sidney Crosby is still playing.
The Penguins have a rapidly improving farm system that's only going to get stronger with their collection of draft picks over the next few years. Malkin is not likely to be back next season, and they are going to be swimming in salary-cap space over the next few years, especially if they move Erik Karlsson this offseason.
Imagine Crosby and McDavid on the same team for a few years before McDavid takes the torch and usher in a new chapter for the Penguins. The Penguins winning the Gavin McKenna lottery and having it play out that way is the more likely scenario, and it would track with the way the Penguins have acquired their previous collection of superstars, but this idea would be fun as well.
Chicago Blackhawks
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In their current state, you probably couldn't convince McDavid to sign with the Blackhawks for all of the money in the world. Winning is the name of the game, and Chicago hasn't been close to winning in a decade.
But what if the Blackhawks can take a big step forward this season? What if they can get closer with Connor Bedard becoming the superstar everybody expects him to be? Could it become an option?
The Blackhawks are an Original Six franchise with a championship background, they're in a major market, and they have almost zero long-term contracts or investments on the books. They would have money to throw at not only McDavid, but potentially other players that could help round out the roster.
Boston Bruins
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Even though they have rapidly arrived in the NHL's mushy middle of mediocrity, the Bruins do not seem prepared to start rebuilding or tearing things down. To be more than what they were this past season and more than what their roster figures to look like this upcoming season, they'll need a game-changing No. 1 center.
That has been their biggest need since Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired, and the likes of Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm are not going to satisfy it. McDavid obviously would.
The Bruins are in a big market and are an Original Six franchise that still has eyes on winning. That could potentially be appealing to McDavid.
