Overview

• General manager Stan Bowman and hockey operations chief Jeff Jackson traveled to Ontario to meet with McDavid’s agent Judd Moldaver for broad discussions on the team’s future direction without yet talking numbers.
• McDavid enters the final year of his eight-year, $100 million deal and has said he will not rush an extension until he is confident the Oilers can contend for a Stanley Cup.
• Edmonton cleared roughly $12 million in cap space by trading Evander Kane to Vancouver as part of preparations to bolster the roster or accommodate McDavid’s next contract.
• Some insiders predict McDavid might pursue a shorter-term deal rather than another eight-year extension if he remains in Edmonton, while trade speculation links him to teams like Toronto, Tampa Bay and Florida.
• Negotiations are expected to extend beyond the July 1 eligibility date as both sides weigh roster construction against McDavid’s championship ambitions.