Connor McDavid’s future with the Edmonton Oilers is becoming one of hockey’s biggest storylines, with NHL legend Ilya Kovalchuk comparing a potential departure to the earth-shattering Wayne Gretzky trade of 1988.
“He’s the face of the NHL,” Kovalchuk told RG.com. “If he leaves, it’ll be like when Wayne Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to L.A.”
That’s not just hyperbole. McDavid has been absolutely dominant since joining the Oilers, and the team has come painfully close to Stanley Cup glory in the past two seasons.
The clock is ticking, though. McDavid becomes a free agent in 2026, and while most hockey insiders expect him to sign a new deal with Edmonton, nothing’s guaranteed in professional sports.
The Oilers have been here before. When they traded Gretzky to Los Angeles, it shook the entire hockey world and left Edmonton fans heartbroken.
But Kovalchuk thinks this Oilers team is on the brink of something special.
“They’ve got a great team,” he said. “Leon can take over when needed, and there’s a solid core around them. I think the front office will make a few tweaks, maybe address the goaltending. But next year, they’ll be contenders again.”
Most experts believe McDavid will sign at least a four-year extension before hitting free agency. The alternative – losing the best player in today’s NHL – is almost unthinkable for Edmonton fans.
The team’s expected to make signing McDavid their top priority this summer. After all, you don’t let a generational talent walk away without doing everything possible to keep him.
