ESPN confirms the future of Edmonton Oilers star, as he eventually join the New York Rangers. Speaking on the “RINK RAP” podcast, Wyshynski mentioned that there’s a “pie in the sky” chance veteran star could land with the Rangers. For this to happen, veteran star would need to turn down any contract extension offered by the Oilers, which would make him an unrestricted free agent in July 2026. McDavid is about to complete the seventh season of his eight-year, $100 million contract signed in 2017.
“There’s a pie in the sky part of this that I can’t ignore, which is that he doesn’t have a contract with the Edmonton Oilers yet,” Wyshynski said. “Frankly, considering the Oilers’ situation and how their playoffs are going, it’s something to consider. Until veteran star puts pen to paper, there’s every possibility he could hit the open market.”
Wyshynski further stated that if McDavid does reach free agency, the Rangers would likely be one of the teams he would consider. “If that were ever to happen, I truly believe the Rangers would be one of the teams he’d look at,” Wyshynski explained. However, the Oilers are expected to offer him a record-breaking extension following Leon Draisaitl’s recent eight-year, $112 million deal. The Oilers are currently tied 2-2 in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Meanwhile, the Rangers missed the postseason and recently fired head coach Peter Laviolette.
Wyshynski also touched on the Rangers’ coaching search, suggesting an interesting possibility. He pointed out that if the Rangers were to hire former Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft, who McDavid “really loved” during their time together in Edmonton, it could serve as a “breadcrumb” toward attracting McDavid. “If you really wanted to get conspiratorial about it, if the Rangers hire Jay Woodcroft, a guy Connor really loved as a coach in Edmonton, that’d be interesting,” Wyshynski said. “That’s a breadcrumb, if we’re being honest. I’ve thrown this out there before.”