Connor McDavid makes very surprising comments on his future in Edmonton

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid made some pretty frank and surprising comments about his future in Edmonton during the team's season-ending media availability today.

McDavid started giving a stereotypical answer to the question about potentially signing a contract extension on July 1st, but then pivoted with a "having said that" statement that is sending Oilers fans into hysterical fits.

Check it out:

"This core has been together for a long time and we've been building to this moment... all along. The work that's gone on behind the scenes, the conversations, endless disappointments and some good times along the way... we're all in this together. With that being said, ultimately I still need to do what's best for my and my family. That's who I have to take care of first, but obviously there's unfinished business here."

So what's it going to take for the Oilers to convince McDavid to re-sign and stay in Edmonton?

"Winning is 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."

His full answer:

Again, he makes it clear that he's in no rush to sign an extension and is comfortable letting things play out so that he can see how the Oilers build around him.

If you're reading between the lines here, this is the most critical that McDavid has ever been about the Oilers organization. It's clear that he's putting the onus on management to get to work on keeping him in Edmonton.

After two failed straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, you can't blame McDavid for prioritizing winning over everything else. The big question is just, "Can he win in Edmonton?"

That's what the Oilers will need to prove to him over the next calendar year. Stay tuned.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli has dropped a bomb on the hockey world, reporting today that the NHL is investigating the Edmonton Oilers and forward Evander Kane for the team's use of long-term injury reserve (LTIR) for salary cap relief this past season.

Seravalli reports that the NHL is investigating whether or not the Oilers complied with the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) when Kane returned to the team's lineup for the playoffs after missing the entirety of the regular season. There's no indication yet on what the Oilers' punishment might be if/when the league finds the team in violation of the CBA.

The Oilers are reportedly cooperating with the investigation and have supplied the NHL with medical records and doctors' opinions. Again, it remains unclear what sort of punishment the Oilers might be looking at, but it's worth noting that no other team has been scrutinized so heavily by the NHL for use of LTIR.

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 regular season on LTIR and then suited up for a dominant playoff performance that saw him put up 32 goals in 23 games en route to a Stanley Cup championship. Kucherov even mocked the LTIR rule by wearing a "$18 million over the cap" t-shirt in the Bolts' Stanley Cup parade.

It's interesting to note that this CBA loophole has existed and has been exploited for years now, but that the Oilers are the first team to receive any real scrutiny for it by the league. Maybe Gary Bettman and company really DO have it out for Canadian teams? Take it from here, conspiracy theorists...