By Nicole Fernandes
TORONTO, May 1 (Reuters) - Connor McDavid’s pursuit of his first Stanley Cup has not been easy, and the Edmonton Oilers’ early elimination from the NHL playoffs has raised questions about the captain’s future with the team.
McDavid – widely considered the game's best player – and the Oilers were bounced from the first round of the playoffs on Thursday by the Anaheim Ducks, a loss that adds to the disappointment Edmonton have felt over the past two postseasons when they lost in the Stanley
Cup final to the Florida Panthers both times.
The latest setback might force the 29-year-old to think about his future with playoff-fatigued Edmonton as he chases hockey’s most coveted prize.
The Canadian’s two-year contract extension, which was announced last October, kicks in at the start of the 2026-27 season and is set to expire at the end of the 2027-28 season.
Former NHL defenseman and Hockey Hall of Fame member Ray Bourque, who requested a trade late in his career from the only professional hockey home he had known in search of a Stanley Cup, said McDavid's short-term deal was a message.
“That told the Oilers that ‘I’m giving you three years, more or less’ (to) see if he could be surrounded possibly (by) a touch better (players) and to give him a real opportunity to win,” Bourque told Reuters on Thursday during a charity event for Alzheimer's research in Toronto.
Bourque is no stranger to the difficulties of winning a Stanley Cup. As he approached the end of his career, the long-time Boston Bruins captain requested a trade to a contender after losing in two Cup finals, eventually lifting the trophy with Colorado in 2001, when he was 40.
“For the longest time, you have a great career and all that, but it seemed like there was something missing,” he said of his decision to leave Boston.
McDavid has spent his entire career in Edmonton after being selected first overall by the franchise in the 2015 NHL Draft. His lightning pace and dazzling skills have helped him put together a resume that all but guarantees his future spot in the Hall of Fame.
In addition to countless individual NHL awards, McDavid is the fourth-fastest player in league history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He also sits second among the Oilers’ all-time leading point scorers behind Canadian great Wayne Gretzky.
All of that makes McDavid the best player in the world for many, including three-times Stanley Cup winner and Hall of Famer Chris Chelios. But Chelios echoes Bourque’s sentiments about a player’s desire to have their name on what he believes is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports.
“Amazing skill,” Chelios, speaking of McDavid, told Reuters. “But he’d probably trade all those points right now for a Stanley Cup in a minute.”
While Bourque believes the Oilers captain still has a good chance to win with Edmonton, he also said he would not be shocked if McDavid started thinking about his individual legacy and taking his Stanley Cup pursuit elsewhere.
“For him, it’s gonna be the only thing left for him to accomplish," said Bourque. "He’s done pretty much everything so far, and then when you’re at that point, it’s about winning a Cup and putting yourself in a situation that you have a chance."
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
