Roster Building/Team Building/Future Trade/Drafting thread.

[ACC1224]

If McDavid says he’s not going to re-sign, would you as the Oilers trade him or keep him for one more run at the cup?

I think you keep him because he’s giving them the best shot at a cup. You probably go all-in next year.

Move 100%.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

And the team he's currently with has been to back to back finals. If he's leaving them because they can't win, you think he's prioritizing a team that usually makes a first round exit?

Usually whoever wins the Atlantic makes the finals or wins the cup. Like I said, with Mcdavid we’re very much a contender.

 

[Metroid]

All in to lose in the Cup finals now..

(Admittedly better than we've done in the past... what he's lost 5 of the last 6 years now... remarkable)

Break two curses with one stone.
Maybe they cancel each other out!

 

[Zero1]

I'd trade him. Think of the return they'd get, even for one year.

Interesting. You don’t feel like the return will be low for his caliber of player due to the NMC?

 

[Torontonian]

That’s acceptable for a depth guy making 4.5.

It isn’t from core player making 10+.

It's really not acceptable to accept anyone but your core players to not score a goal in the playoffs. Toronto will never win if you accept your depth players and bottom 6 to never score.

If each series was 6 games, 18 games would put them @ end of the 3rd round, and 1 goal only isn't acceptable.

 

[Zero1]

Move 100%.

I feel like the return would be low for this caliber of player with the NMC.

 

[ACC1224]

I'd trade him. Think of the return they'd get, even for one year.

Trade for sure but he wou/d choose where to go so the return wouldn't be as substantial as if he were to be made available league wide.

 

[Fogelhund]

Interesting. You don’t feel like the return will be low for his caliber of player due to the NMC?

If you don't like the return, you don't have to make the trade... you can just keep for the year...

But I don't think the return would be that low.

 

[Dreakmur]

It's really not acceptable to accept anyone but your core players to not score a goal in the playoffs. Toronto will never win if you accept your depth players and bottom 6 to never score.

If each series was 6 games, 18 games would put them @ end of the 3rd round, and 1 goal only isn't acceptable.

Depth players should be expected to score at depth player rates.

 

[The Shadow]

Why would McDavid make a comment like that about his family. He doesn’t sound like he’s fully wanting to remain an oiler

 

[Menzinger]

He's got two cups he's setting up his retirement account with this last deal. He'll sign somewhere else to chase the dollars - and has earned it.

 

[Caesium]

Usually whoever wins the Atlantic makes the finals or wins the cup. Like I said, with Mcdavid we’re very much a contender.

With McDavid, anyone is a contender. McDavid wants a team that's a contender without him.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Why would McDavid make a comment like that about his family. He doesn’t sound like he’s fully wanting to remain an oiler

You ever lived in Edmonton

 

[Menzinger]

McDavid has zero reason to extend this summer. And the Oilers ownership won't ever allow a trade (NMC aside) their ownership will order the front office to try and get an extension done until the last possible second next July

Who knows where he ends up, but it's silly to dismiss the hometown hero angle out of hand. If the Leafs have enough cash they'll get a serious meeting with his camp

Bummed to see Donato reupped with Chicago for a very reasonable contract.

He was a good opportunity to improve our Centre depth for free as a UFA, and at $4m a season, that was a very palatable AAV.

He proved he could play with talent playing with Bédard. He may very well have had no interest in going to UFA and no chance to talk to him, let alone sign him but I would have been interested if he had hit the open market.

I think he’s going to prove last season wasn’t a fluke due to it being a contrary, provided that he continues to put in the work.

The Leafs will need to trade for a centre. Which means either Cowan, Woll, or one of the current D men is heading out the door

 

[leafsfan2point0]

With McDavid, anyone is a contender. McDavid wants a team that's a contender without him.

Agreed with bolded. Just speculation, I guess we’ll see how everything unfolds over the next year.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Just to take this in a slightly different direction because we have time to do so, if McDavid does extend with Edmonton then we have 2026 and 2027 as our 2 year window.

Summer of 2027 you need to decide who's going and staying.

Knies, Cowan, Danford Woll, Ahkyamatov and/or Hildeby...basically 1 or 2 of those goalie will be around, 1 definitely won't be.

Matthews, 88, Domi and McCabe on the trade block...

Tanev probably LTRetired at that point and JT will either be the same, have already left or simply undesirable at his age.

Fair?

I expect Matthews and Nylander are going to be the ones with value, 1st + 3rd + prospect on each?

 

[Caesium]

Just to take this in a slightly different direction because we have time to do so, if McDavid does extend with Edmonton then we have 2026 and 2027 as our 2 year window.

Summer of 2027 you need to decide who's going and staying.

Knies, Cowan, Danford Woll, Ahkyamatov and/or Hildeby...basically 1 or 2 of those goalie will be around, 1 definitely won't be.

Matthews, 88, Domi and McCabe on the trade block...

Tanev probably LTRetired at that point and JT will either be the same, have already left or simply undesirable at his age.

Fair?

I expect Matthews and Nylander are going to be the ones with value, 1st + 3rd + prospect on each?

Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, and Tanev have full NMCs. McCabe has a 16 team NTC. Domi has a 13 team NTC. Good luck.

 

[hockeywiz542]

RAW | Connor McDavid 06.19.25

Edmonton Oilers

June 19, 2025

Connor reflects on the Oilers season during end-of-season media availabilities on Thursday.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, and Tanev have full NMCs. McCabe has a 16 team NTC. Domi has a 13 team NTC. Good luck.

Yeah & if you tell them you're rebuilding, you think they wanna hang around?

Chris Tanev I think isn't playing by then but Matthews, 88, Rielly, McCabe and Domi will likely want a chance at a cup versus pissing away the rest of their career.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Connor McDavid: 'No rush' on signing extension with Edmonton Oilers, puts winning atop his list | TSN.ca

Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid said Thursday's he's feeling no pressure to get an extension worked out for July 1, when he will officially enter the final year of his current deal.

"It's only been a couple days since the season ended," McDavid told reporters at the team's season-ending availability. "Take some time to regroup. Talk to my agent a little bit, and family and all that, and make some decisions whenever that time comes. But there's no rush."

When asked what his focus is on when committing to his future on his next deal, McDavid replied that claiming his first career Stanley Cup trumps all else.

"Winning would be at the top of the list,” McDavid said. “It's the most important thing. If I feel that there's a good window to win here, over and over again, then signing is no problem."

"It's only been a couple of days. I'm sure we'll get into it over the course of the next couple of weeks, but I'm not in a rush to make any decision, so I don't think that there needs to be any timeline. I know people are going to look at that July 1 day and be looking to see if there's anything done. But for me, I'm just not in a rush that way."

McDavid, 28, recorded 26 goals and 100 points in 67 games with the Oilers last season. He added seven goals and 33 points in 22 playoff games before his team was eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final Tuesday by the Florida Panthers for the second straight year.

"We're holding this together, trying to get it over the finish line," McDavid added of falling just short once again. "With that being said, ultimately still need to do what's best for me and my family, and that's who you have to take care of first."

The 6-foot-1 centre is entering the final season of an eight-year, $100 million contract with an annual cap hit of $12.5 million. He is eligible to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026.

The Oilers enter this off-season with $11.96 million in cap space and 19 players under contract for next season. Andy Strickland of FanDuel Sports Network reported Wednesday the Oilers were closing on an eight-year contract with pending UFA Trent Frederic worth roughly $4 million a year.

 

[Caesium]

Yeah & if you tell them you're rebuilding, you think they wanna hang around?

Chris Tanev I think isn't playing by then but Matthews, 88, Rielly, McCabe and Domi will likely want a chance at a cup versus pissing away the rest of their career.

Why not? If those players refuse to waive, they're basically the same team as now. What's different? Run it back.

 

[The Shadow]

You ever lived in Edmonton

No never been to Alberta yet

 

[hockeywiz542]

Nick Kypreos: Dominant Panthers prove winning a Stanley Cup starts at the top. The Maple Leafs should take note

This is the time of year where 31 teams take stock in what led the best team to the Stanley Cup. For Florida, it starts with what Bill Zito built.

www.thestar.com

• There is talk the Leafs may shoot for the moon and make offers to Panthers free agents Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad with hopes to land one or two of them. The key to an Ekblad offer will likely hinge on the Leafs’ ability to get out from under Morgan Rielly’s no-move clause.

• A few eyebrows are being raised with no announcement of a new contract for RFA Matthew Knies as we inch closer towards July 1. Some early indications point to a very large ask by the Knies camp and the Leafs could be reluctant to give in at this point. It may also indicate a new philosophy on being tougher when it comes to handing young star players money and term like the previous regime.

 

[Tony Romo]

Why. is. everything. so. difficult.

 

[Caesium]

Don't forget to run a hate campaign on "Matthews" Knies when he bridges for 8M.