Top 3 centers in the league don't generally hit UFA in their prime.
I feel like Tavares was the closest we've gotten in the cap era.
They generally don't, but it doesn't mean it won't happen. I see 5 ways it could go:
1. They trade him next summer for a huge haul
2. They trade him at the 2025-26 deadline for a huge haul
3. They trade his rights prior to him becoming UFA
4. He hits UFA and signs with another team
5. Edmonton re-signs him
The first two seem extremely unlikely to me. Edmonton is going to do everything they can to re-sign him. They aren't going to give up on that a year early, and they aren't going to trade him if they are solidly in a playoff spot. If they are out of it and it doesn't seem like they'll be able to re-sign him, then yeah, but that seems unlikely.
The last three options therefore are the most likely, and it comes down to what McDavid wants. If he wants to move on, he's moving on, and it's just a question of how and where.
Count me in on the Necas for K'Andre trade Brooksie snuck into his "dump Goodrow"(I also co-sign this) article over the weekend.
Vesey/Brodzinski/Edstrom replace everything Goodrow gives us for a lesser cap hit combined. Use that money and put it toward and upgrade in the top 6 or on D. I like Trenin if we want some veteran beef in the bottom 6. Joshua and Carrier are going to be expensive.
After we pay Necas all the money he wants, who is replacing Miller? Where is the cap coming from to do that?
Wing is the strongest position in our prospect pool. The last thing we should be doing is spending big bucks on a winger, especially at the expense of a position we have very little of (defense).