Edmonton Post Season Interview McDavid "With that being said"

[netboy65]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC? He can veto not only any destination, but any deal. If he says he's not signing an extension he can say I'll accept a deal to one of these teams (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, etc.) or else I'll go for it one last year here and sign wherever I want in 12 months.

This destroys leverage for the Oilers. Why would he agree to a trade where the team he wants to join just lost several of the reasons he wanted to go there (good players)? He wouldn't, or rather couldn't if he didn't want to. As a one year rental he's worth a couple of firsts and a good prospect or two. Rantanen returned Necas and a 1st, IIRC. But he had a limited no trade list. But with a full NMC McDavid can drive the price down some more if he wants to.

It's not gonna cost Thomas, Snuggerud, a few 1sts, and another player because he wouldn't want to come here anymore. Same for any team he would want to go to. He certainly has value in 25/26 at $12.5M instead of waiting 12 months but, again, he can suppress that value with his NMC (if he wants to).

True enough, but I don’t think it would be “where ever he wants” Only the bottom feeders typically have the cap space, certainly not major contenders.

His cap hit for 25/26 is only $12.5M. That certainly excludes some contenders going after him but not all. Also those contenders could send contracts back in a trade. For example, the Blues have about $11.5M in cap space, once you account for Krug on LTIR, with only Hofer to sign. It wouldn't take much to clear a few million to be able to take on McDavid's cap hit. Or you have the Oilers retain a portion of it. The Kings could probably pretty easily absorb his cap hit, the Canes definitely could. The Leafs could probably do it but they'd have to fill out the rest of the roster on the cheap . . . or exactly what they've been doing for years now. Utah could do it. Columbus could probably do it as well. Vancouver wouldn't have to do too much to make it work. Obviously Chicago and Nashville could do it, but why would McDavid want to go to either . . . right now.

Obviously if he expressed an interest to go to a particular team, I'm sure that team, those teams on the list, would explore every option to see if they could make it work from a roster and cap perspective.

I think the Blues are actually positioned better than most teams for a situation like that in terms of cap space with few holes to fill (i.e. don't need cap for a lot of other signings), a contender or close to it (I would say we're a contender if you magically add McDavid to our roster and take away very little), and have picks or prospects that we could trade without horribly messing up our core (assuming McDavid uses his leverage to make sure the team doesn't gut their roster to get him).

Right, but I wasn’t referring to the year on his current deal, what will his next deal be?

[seattleblue]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC?

McDavid will decide where he wants to play. It's not at all relevant what teams "can" offer for him if McDavid hasn't selected that team as his next destination.

Also, if he's traded this year he knows the team he's going to will give up a lot of talent. So he might not want to do that.

[Wattage]

So much to unpack here, but foremost Edmonton and McDavid may have likely just closed the window together and individually for a cup.

If this is McDavids stance, there isn’t another team in the league that can afford what McDavid is going to ask for and support a competitive team around him. That Edmonton group was about as close as anyone was ever going to get with his cap hit.

Likewise there isn’t going to be a team in the league with cup aspirations that is going to trade the package required to get him and then pay him his number.

It’s never been more obvious that cups are won now with extreme depth.

The destinations willing to commit the % of cap to him alone are the teams looking to build a fanbase vs. win a cup.

Just look across the ice at Florida where you’re likely going to see heroes like Bennett, Marchand and ekblad take pay cuts to stay with a team and win more cups.

The reason the oilers dont have depth isnt ciz of mcdavids cap hit, its cuz of ridiculous contract of 9.5 million to nurse who plays like a 3rd dman( and they are stuck with that for long time), them paying a 2mil + cap hit from buying out jack campbell, from them letting us take holloway over 2.3 mil while theyve handed out 3 mil 3mil and 4 mil to henrique jeff skinner and arvidsson for them to play like garbage or be healthy scratched.

Point being, its dumb to act like mcdavids and drais contract has been the problem for them and their depth. Its not. The reason they dont have depth is cuz they made loads of other questionable moves and contracts over the years.

Now they reportedly are trying to lock frederick up for 8 years at nearly 4 mil when his best season of his career is 18 goals 40 points and he didnt even play close to even that level this year and was invisible in playoffs

[rbirules]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC? He can veto not only any destination, but any deal. If he says he's not signing an extension he can say I'll accept a deal to one of these teams (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, etc.) or else I'll go for it one last year here and sign wherever I want in 12 months.

This destroys leverage for the Oilers. Why would he agree to a trade where the team he wants to join just lost several of the reasons he wanted to go there (good players)? He wouldn't, or rather couldn't if he didn't want to. As a one year rental he's worth a couple of firsts and a good prospect or two. Rantanen returned Necas and a 1st, IIRC. But he had a limited no trade list. But with a full NMC McDavid can drive the price down some more if he wants to.

It's not gonna cost Thomas, Snuggerud, a few 1sts, and another player because he wouldn't want to come here anymore. Same for any team he would want to go to. He certainly has value in 25/26 at $12.5M instead of waiting 12 months but, again, he can suppress that value with his NMC (if he wants to).

True enough, but I don’t think it would be “where ever he wants” Only the bottom feeders typically have the cap space, certainly not major contenders.

His cap hit for 25/26 is only $12.5M. That certainly excludes some contenders going after him but not all. Also those contenders could send contracts back in a trade. For example, the Blues have about $11.5M in cap space, once you account for Krug on LTIR, with only Hofer to sign. It wouldn't take much to clear a few million to be able to take on McDavid's cap hit. Or you have the Oilers retain a portion of it. The Kings could probably pretty easily absorb his cap hit, the Canes definitely could. The Leafs could probably do it but they'd have to fill out the rest of the roster on the cheap . . . or exactly what they've been doing for years now. Utah could do it. Columbus could probably do it as well. Vancouver wouldn't have to do too much to make it work. Obviously Chicago and Nashville could do it, but why would McDavid want to go to either . . . right now.

Obviously if he expressed an interest to go to a particular team, I'm sure that team, those teams on the list, would explore every option to see if they could make it work from a roster and cap perspective.

I think the Blues are actually positioned better than most teams for a situation like that in terms of cap space with few holes to fill (i.e. don't need cap for a lot of other signings), a contender or close to it (I would say we're a contender if you magically add McDavid to our roster and take away very little), and have picks or prospects that we could trade without horribly messing up our core (assuming McDavid uses his leverage to make sure the team doesn't gut their roster to get him).

Right, but I wasn’t referring to the year on his current deal, what will his next deal be?

Fair question, i think that's an even easier scenario for the Blues. I haven't looked at the cap/roster situation for every team in 26/27, but I'm sure fitting McDavid (on the largest contract in history) would become easier for some, and more difficult for others.

[rbirules]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC?

McDavid will decide where he wants to play. It's not at all relevant what teams "can" offer for him if McDavid hasn't selected that team as his next destination.

Also, if he's traded this year he knows the team he's going to will give up a lot of talent. So he might not want to do that.

I completely agree with the fist paragraph. He will choose the destination, he's in complete control of that with his NMC.

I disagree with the first sentence in the second paragraph, and that was the basis of my thought/post. If the Oilers dig in their heels and demand a ransom for him from the team he selected, so much so that the team isn't a desirable destination in 25/26, then he simply plays out the string in Edmonton and they get nothing when he walks in free agency. OR they can accept a much smaller package that McDavid finds agreeable and doesn't gut the team for 25/26. Then the Oilers have to decide if it's better to go all in on one last year with McDavid and let him walk for nothing (or a small package so he can sign an 8 year deal instead of a 7 year deal after the season is over in a sign and trade) or accept a weaker package for the best player in the game.

I would assume Connor and his agent would talk to teams and approach management with a trade proposal that they would accept, or at least be involved in that process with the team. It's a very rare situation.

[seattleblue]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC?

McDavid will decide where he wants to play. It's not at all relevant what teams "can" offer for him if McDavid hasn't selected that team as his next destination.

Also, if he's traded this year he knows the team he's going to will give up a lot of talent. So he might not want to do that.

I completely agree with the fist paragraph. He will choose the destination, he's in complete control of that with his NMC.

I disagree with the first sentence in the second paragraph, and that was the basis of my thought/post. If the Oilers dig in their heels and demand a ransom for him from the team he selected, so much so that the team isn't a desirable destination in 25/26, then he simply plays out the string in Edmonton and they get nothing when he walks in free agency. OR they can accept a much smaller package that McDavid finds agreeable and doesn't gut the team for 25/26. Then the Oilers have to decide if it's better to go all in on one last year with McDavid and let him walk for nothing (or a small package so he can sign an 8 year deal instead of a 7 year deal after the season is over in a sign and trade) or accept a weaker package for the best player in the game.

I would assume Connor and his agent would talk to teams and approach management with a trade proposal that they would accept, or at least be involved in that process with the team. It's a very rare situation.

The only thing is if they trade him during this year for cheap they are officially closing their window. Even if "something is better than nothing" they'd probably wait til the last possible moment to move him than accept defeat in that way.

[rbirules]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC?

McDavid will decide where he wants to play. It's not at all relevant what teams "can" offer for him if McDavid hasn't selected that team as his next destination.

Also, if he's traded this year he knows the team he's going to will give up a lot of talent. So he might not want to do that.

I completely agree with the fist paragraph. He will choose the destination, he's in complete control of that with his NMC.

I disagree with the first sentence in the second paragraph, and that was the basis of my thought/post. If the Oilers dig in their heels and demand a ransom for him from the team he selected, so much so that the team isn't a desirable destination in 25/26, then he simply plays out the string in Edmonton and they get nothing when he walks in free agency. OR they can accept a much smaller package that McDavid finds agreeable and doesn't gut the team for 25/26. Then the Oilers have to decide if it's better to go all in on one last year with McDavid and let him walk for nothing (or a small package so he can sign an 8 year deal instead of a 7 year deal after the season is over in a sign and trade) or accept a weaker package for the best player in the game.

I would assume Connor and his agent would talk to teams and approach management with a trade proposal that they would accept, or at least be involved in that process with the team. It's a very rare situation.

The only thing is if they trade him during this year for cheap they are officially closing their window. Even if "something is better than nothing" they'd probably wait til the last possible moment to move him than accept defeat in that way.

And that's perfectly fine and a reasonable stance. If Connor isn't re-signing and has hand picked his next team (or narrowed it down to a select few) then those teams will likely still be interested at the deadline if the Oilers season isn't going as they hope. It makes sense to take one last shot at the cup rather than selling for an underwhelming package.

I think their window closed a few days ago. I honestly don't know how they sign Bouchard after the Frederic signing, which means he's either signing a short term deal that walks him to UFA in two years or they have to move other players just to fit Bouchard on the roster. To do that they either have to move one of the few depth pieces they have that is useful, give away assets to move a bad contract, and they don't have many assets to trade (and why would those players want to leave instead of staying for one last cup run?) or buyout some players. They are in a really tricky position, and honestly I don't see why McDavid, or Bouchard for that matter, would want to stay there long term . . . which really sucks for Draisaitl.

[Pink Freud]

So much to unpack here, but foremost Edmonton and McDavid may have likely just closed the window together and individually for a cup.

If this is McDavids stance, there isn’t another team in the league that can afford what McDavid is going to ask for and support a competitive team around him. That Edmonton group was about as close as anyone was ever going to get with his cap hit.

Likewise there isn’t going to be a team in the league with cup aspirations that is going to trade the package required to get him and then pay him his number.

It’s never been more obvious that cups are won now with extreme depth.

The destinations willing to commit the % of cap to him alone are the teams looking to build a fanbase vs. win a cup.

Just look across the ice at Florida where you’re likely going to see heroes like Bennett, Marchand and ekblad take pay cuts to stay with a team and win more cups.

Great calls, all. If McDavid is frustrated with back to back close calls, no other team aside from his and Florida has been to the Finals two straight seasons. The Oilers are still that close, particularly if they have a healthy Zack Hyman next time and better goaltending, though Skinner and Pickard were both good...just not great like Bobrovsky. The Oilers were the NHL's oldest team this past season, so that will surely be addressed, starting with Corey Perry likely retiring.

Re Leon Draisaitl, his "office" just inside the goal line in the right circle produces little more than dozens of shots from very sharp angles which fly around the boards and down the ice. He could really help more by being in the high slot where his passing, shooting, and rebounds can generate higher percentage chances.

[netboy65]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC? He can veto not only any destination, but any deal. If he says he's not signing an extension he can say I'll accept a deal to one of these teams (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, etc.) or else I'll go for it one last year here and sign wherever I want in 12 months.

This destroys leverage for the Oilers. Why would he agree to a trade where the team he wants to join just lost several of the reasons he wanted to go there (good players)? He wouldn't, or rather couldn't if he didn't want to. As a one year rental he's worth a couple of firsts and a good prospect or two. Rantanen returned Necas and a 1st, IIRC. But he had a limited no trade list. But with a full NMC McDavid can drive the price down some more if he wants to.

It's not gonna cost Thomas, Snuggerud, a few 1sts, and another player because he wouldn't want to come here anymore. Same for any team he would want to go to. He certainly has value in 25/26 at $12.5M instead of waiting 12 months but, again, he can suppress that value with his NMC (if he wants to).

True enough, but I don’t think it would be “where ever he wants” Only the bottom feeders typically have the cap space, certainly not major contenders.

His cap hit for 25/26 is only $12.5M. That certainly excludes some contenders going after him but not all. Also those contenders could send contracts back in a trade. For example, the Blues have about $11.5M in cap space, once you account for Krug on LTIR, with only Hofer to sign. It wouldn't take much to clear a few million to be able to take on McDavid's cap hit. Or you have the Oilers retain a portion of it. The Kings could probably pretty easily absorb his cap hit, the Canes definitely could. The Leafs could probably do it but they'd have to fill out the rest of the roster on the cheap . . . or exactly what they've been doing for years now. Utah could do it. Columbus could probably do it as well. Vancouver wouldn't have to do too much to make it work. Obviously Chicago and Nashville could do it, but why would McDavid want to go to either . . . right now.

Obviously if he expressed an interest to go to a particular team, I'm sure that team, those teams on the list, would explore every option to see if they could make it work from a roster and cap perspective.

I think the Blues are actually positioned better than most teams for a situation like that in terms of cap space with few holes to fill (i.e. don't need cap for a lot of other signings), a contender or close to it (I would say we're a contender if you magically add McDavid to our roster and take away very little), and have picks or prospects that we could trade without horribly messing up our core (assuming McDavid uses his leverage to make sure the team doesn't gut their roster to get him).

Right, but I wasn’t referring to the year on his current deal, what will his next deal be?

Fair question, i think that's an even easier scenario for the Blues. I haven't looked at the cap/roster situation for every team in 26/27, but I'm sure fitting McDavid (on the largest contract in history) would become easier for some, and more difficult for others.

Sure. I wasn’t being argumentative with you, just wondering if McJesus truly knows all the scenarios. Personally I think he and Edm are already down the rabbit hole with each other just stay the course.

[rbirules]

Are we overlooking how much control McDavid has over the situation with his NMC? He can veto not only any destination, but any deal. If he says he's not signing an extension he can say I'll accept a deal to one of these teams (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, etc.) or else I'll go for it one last year here and sign wherever I want in 12 months.

This destroys leverage for the Oilers. Why would he agree to a trade where the team he wants to join just lost several of the reasons he wanted to go there (good players)? He wouldn't, or rather couldn't if he didn't want to. As a one year rental he's worth a couple of firsts and a good prospect or two. Rantanen returned Necas and a 1st, IIRC. But he had a limited no trade list. But with a full NMC McDavid can drive the price down some more if he wants to.

It's not gonna cost Thomas, Snuggerud, a few 1sts, and another player because he wouldn't want to come here anymore. Same for any team he would want to go to. He certainly has value in 25/26 at $12.5M instead of waiting 12 months but, again, he can suppress that value with his NMC (if he wants to).

True enough, but I don’t think it would be “where ever he wants” Only the bottom feeders typically have the cap space, certainly not major contenders.

His cap hit for 25/26 is only $12.5M. That certainly excludes some contenders going after him but not all. Also those contenders could send contracts back in a trade. For example, the Blues have about $11.5M in cap space, once you account for Krug on LTIR, with only Hofer to sign. It wouldn't take much to clear a few million to be able to take on McDavid's cap hit. Or you have the Oilers retain a portion of it. The Kings could probably pretty easily absorb his cap hit, the Canes definitely could. The Leafs could probably do it but they'd have to fill out the rest of the roster on the cheap . . . or exactly what they've been doing for years now. Utah could do it. Columbus could probably do it as well. Vancouver wouldn't have to do too much to make it work. Obviously Chicago and Nashville could do it, but why would McDavid want to go to either . . . right now.

Obviously if he expressed an interest to go to a particular team, I'm sure that team, those teams on the list, would explore every option to see if they could make it work from a roster and cap perspective.

I think the Blues are actually positioned better than most teams for a situation like that in terms of cap space with few holes to fill (i.e. don't need cap for a lot of other signings), a contender or close to it (I would say we're a contender if you magically add McDavid to our roster and take away very little), and have picks or prospects that we could trade without horribly messing up our core (assuming McDavid uses his leverage to make sure the team doesn't gut their roster to get him).

Right, but I wasn’t referring to the year on his current deal, what will his next deal be?

Fair question, i think that's an even easier scenario for the Blues. I haven't looked at the cap/roster situation for every team in 26/27, but I'm sure fitting McDavid (on the largest contract in history) would become easier for some, and more difficult for others.

Sure. I wasn’t being argumentative with you, just wondering if McJesus truly knows all the scenarios. Personally I think he and Edm are already down the rabbit hole with each other just stay the course.

No worries, I didn't take it as argumentative at all. I'm sure that's exactly what his agent gets paid to know, or research, for him. "Do you want to stay in Edmonton? Otherwise these teams are position well to be competitive and sign you to a large deal in 12 months. These ones are large markets with lots of advertising opportunities, these ones are smaller media markets that will allow you more anonymity in your day to day life. Which option do you like?"

[DutchBlue]

Unless you guys think Cole, D'Ags, and a 1st would get it done?

I think they would have to add Blais to that package to make it enticing.

Get ‘er done Leerryyy!!

[TheJackBurton]

I do believe Edmonton owes us a little something for the (bleep) sandwich we took back in 2005 in exchange for a generational player.

[netboy65]

I do believe Edmonton owes us a little something for the (bleep) sandwich we took back in 2005 in exchange for a generational player.

We got Woywitka out of it, what more do you want??

Didn’t that deal eventually lead to Binnington? Silver lining

[MiamiLaw]

I do believe Edmonton owes us a little something for the (bleep) sandwich we took back in 2005 in exchange for a generational player.

We got Woywitka out of it, what more do you want??

Didn’t that deal eventually lead to Binnington? Silver lining

I think the 3rd round pick the Blues got when they traded Brewer is what was used to select Binnington.

[netboy65]

I do believe Edmonton owes us a little something for the (bleep) sandwich we took back in 2005 in exchange for a generational player.

We got Woywitka out of it, what more do you want??

Didn’t that deal eventually lead to Binnington? Silver lining

I think the 3rd round pick the Blues got when they traded Brewer is what was used to select Binnington.

Right, and Brewer was part of the Pronger deal.
We got to LA just via Omaha

[Aesa]

I do believe Edmonton owes us a little something for the (bleep) sandwich we took back in 2005 in exchange for a generational player.

We got Woywitka out of it, what more do you want??

Didn’t that deal eventually lead to Binnington? Silver lining

I think the 3rd round pick the Blues got when they traded Brewer is what was used to select Binnington.

Right, and Brewer was part of the Pronger deal.
We got to LA just via Omaha

Great play on lyrics. CDB Uneasy Rider.