Should the Oilers trade Connor McDavid?
The Edmonton Oilers have been a disaster this season, and it looks like things won’t be getting better anytime soon. With showing no signs of building a better team around superstar forward and captain Connor McDavid, should the Oilers trade their superstar?
The Edmonton Oilers are off to one of their worst starts in recent memory–maybe even one of the worst in franchise history. With only 11 points in 18 games played, the Oilers have some decisions to make–for the present and the future.
Edmonton drafted the McDavid No. 1 overall in the 2015 NHL draft. After three years with the Erie Otters, the McDavid show stormed into the NHL.
In just nine seasons, he’s accumulated over 800 points and counting with the Oilers. But, even with McDavid’s excellence, the team has struggled majorly in the playoffs. With McDavid on the Oilers, the team has only made one conference final and missed the playoffs four times.
So that begs the question: Should Edmonton trade McDavid?
McDavid becomes an unrestricted free agent before the 2026-27 season after he signed an eight-year, $100 million deal in July 2017. As of right now, Edmonton has a three-year window to make a decision on their former No. 1 pick.
If the Oilers want to win this season and keep McDavid happy, they will have to make several blockbuster moves at the deadline.
There are always two sides to these scenarios. It all depends on how Edmonton continues to build around the superstar. But with the way they have been recently, McDavid needs to get out of Edmonton.
It’s becoming repetitive. Every single year the Oilers have such high expectations and then crumble come playoffs because of, you guessed it: Goaltending and everyone else outside of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
If I was in the Oilers position, I would go all-in these next two years. After that, if playoff progress doesn’t appear in those two seasons, it’s time to move on and trade McDavid.
Wasting your superstar’s prime while not doing anything to build around him and win is one thing, but keeping him happy at this time when players have a ton of control is another. McDavid can request a trade anytime soon. The rate at this team is going. You better make him happy or he is packing his bags in 2026 and you’re getting nothing out of him.
Do you think the Oilers should trade McDavid in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
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