Oilers GM Stan Bowman reacts to Connor McDavid’s hint at future outside of Edmonton

In his exit interview on Thursday, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid admited he will take some time to accept losing his second consecutive Stanley Cup Final before turning his attention to a potential contract extension.

His comments have gotten fans nervous about the potential of a future outside of Edmonton, but Oilers general manager Stan Bowman reiterated on Friday during his press conference how re-signing McDavid was a top priority this offseason.

Bowman said McDavid has earned the right to dictate the timeline on contract talks but said the Oilers will be ready once he decides to open negotiations.

“He’s the #1 priority. I think also, listening to Connor’s take, he’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his timing.”

McDavid is eligible to sign an extension as of July 1 before playing out the final season of an eight-year, $100-million contract in 2025-26. He would otherwise become the most coveted free agent of the 2026 class if he doesn’t sign a deal before then…

But according to many pundits and insiders, the Oilers simply cannot be that patient with McDavid.

McDavid is the face of the franchise and fans are hoping to see him re-sign, just like close friend and star temmate Leon Draisaitl did last summer when he inked a contract worth $14M AAV through 2032-33. The Oilers enter this off-season with $11.96 million in cap space to play with, per Puck Pedia, and 19 players already under contract for next season. Edmonton must also get a massive extension done with restricted free agent blue-liner Evan Bouchard.

However, if the Oilers do not get a guarantee that McDavid is extending, they cannot lose him for nothing.

How much time will Bowman and the Oilers give their captain?