Bowman expects to begin McDavid contract talks soon
Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is optimistic contract talks with captain Connor McDavid will ramp up in the near future.
"(McDavid is) a huge part of everything we do here, and so I don't have a timeline update, but I do expect to have some conversations with them soon and hopefully get that wrapped up," Bowman told CHED 880's Bob Stauffer on Tuesday.
McDavid became eligible to sign an extension on July 1. After the Oilers lost the Stanley Cup Final, the superstar centre said he wanted to take time to decompress before engaging in contract discussions.
The three-time Hart Trophy winner also noted that re-signing in Edmonton wouldn't be an issue if the team was committed to icing a contending roster for years to come.
Bowman said Tuesday that he's spoken with McDavid's agent but is being mindful of the player's wishes.
"I've had really good conversations with Judd (Moldaver) since the season ended, and I've tried to give Connor his space, and I think that it's important," Bowman said. "A lot of this is respecting the athlete and their timeline.
"We haven't had any of those types of detailed discussions yet, but we certainly will, and I think we're very encouraged by all the conversations I've had to date. And when the time comes, the time comes."
The 2025-26 campaign will be the final season of McDavid's eight-year, $100-million deal that he signed in 2017. He'll be eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer if he doesn't ink an extension.
McDavid is projected to become the league's highest-paid player on his next contract, as the NHL's salary cap is expected to balloon to $104 million in 2026-27. Teammate Leon Draisaitl will own that distinction this coming season with an annual cap hit of $14 million.
The Oilers have won the Western Conference title in back-to-back seasons but have come up short against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final each year. Edmonton's notable moves this summer include bringing in Andrew Mangiapane and Isaac Howard, as well as signing Evan Bouchard to an extension.