I have to ask, why do you say that? The Oilers just about won the cup a few months ago....I would think that would entice McDavid further to stay with his team.
1. The Canadian factor. No Canadian team has won. the cup in over 30 years. The salary cap structure makes team less attractive. And if you are less atractive, players are less likely to want to play for you, and those who do are more likely to ask for an overpay. No one sane thinks Nurse would have asked for 9 mil in Tampa. He asked the Edmonton tax.
2. One of the worse team for travelling schedules.
3. Their lineup is full of holes. They're old.
4. Most observers agree they have a bottom tier prospect pool.
5. They've liquidated almost all their picks in the 2025 draft too.
6. They still have to pay Jack Campbell (remember my point number 1 above) big bucks for four years. Think about it. The very year McDavid's new contract would begin, Jack f***in' Campbell will be eating 2.6M of Edmonton's salary mass.
7. Alberta is really cool. But cities like Edmonton are simply not very glamorous for young millionaire athletes.
Without McDavid, Edmonton would immediately go back near the top cities most often appearing on NTCs. McDavid will get paid anywhere. He is the best player in the world. But players don't win the cup. Teams do. That's why Eichel is a cup winner and McDavid isn't.
If McDavid is really serious about the cup, he'll weigh his options when he becomes a free agent. And he'll find a better team, in a better position.
