McDavid: Winning 'all that matters to me at this point in my career'

Connor McDavid only has winning on his mind despite being eligible for an extension next summer.

"I want to win. That's it," McDavid told The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "That's all that matters to me at this point in my career."

McDavid is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. The Edmonton Oilers can sign him to an extension no earlier than July 1, 2025.

"My priority is to win," McDavid added. "My priority is to take care of my family. Those are the two things I worry about. Those are my two obligations."

McDavid's contract status isn't top of mind for Jeff Jackson, who's the Oilers' hockey operations CEO and McDavid's former agent.

"We're just leaving it because we're not talking contract (right now)," Jackson said. "With the relationship that we have and the relationship I have with (McDavid's agent) Judd (Moldaver), there's an understanding that we'll get to discussions when it's appropriate.

"Right now, we're focused on where we are in the season. It's too early for that. I'm confident we're going to keep Connor here for a long time, but that's his decision in the end."

McDavid signed his current contract in July 2017. His eight-year pact had a then-record $12.5-million cap hit, a mark that's since been surpassed by Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon. Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl will become the league's new highest cap hit beginning next season at $14 million.

"I feel like I set the market a long time ago," McDavid said. "That held for a long time. The cap was pretty stagnant there for a while. Now, guys are pushing the cap."

Jackson doesn't feel Draisaitl's eight-year extension will impact McDavid's future decision.

"They're buddies," Jackson said. "Everybody ties them at the hip, and that's the logical thing for everyone to do, but (McDavid's) his own man. He'll make his own decision. I think if we have a team that he thinks is going to compete, he'll be fine."

McDavid became the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark earlier this season. He's led the league in scoring five times in nine campaigns and is a three-time Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2023 as the league's top goal-scorer and claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in the spring. McDavid was the first skater to win the award despite losing the Stanley Cup Final since 1976.