Connor McDavid‘s uncertain future has hung over the Edmonton Oilers all summer. The organization knows that it will have to decide on its star forward. They’ve begun embedding him into the new iteration of the lineup for the 2025-26 season. For those who want to see him keeping the iconic Oiler logo over his chest, it’s not a good sign. McDavid has gone on record saying he is prioritizing his chances of winning over anything else, so why is it bad news?
McDavid’s New Line
Well, on the opening day of training camp, McDavid is sandwiched between Andrew Mangiapane and David Tomasek. Tomasek is someone to watch this preseason, but these aren’t the kind of linemates that star players love having. They want to have linemates that make them better, but McDavid is being asked to turn these good players into great ones. When he’s already in control of what comes next for the Oilers, this isn’t good.
McDavid’s Normal Linemates
Across 2024-25, the two players McDavid spent the most time with were Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. That line spent 317 minutes together. McDavid also spent 260 minutes with Leon Draisaitl and Hyman. It’s unlikely that when the playoffs roll around, assuming McDavid is still an Oiler, Mangiapane and Tomasek will be his linemates. Shockingly, the lines from the first day of training camp are rarely permanent.
However, we bring them up because Hyman’s going to be on the injured reserve to start the season. That’s a concern for the Oilers when it comes to McDavid’s production. McDavid is at his best when he has someone like Hyman who sits with his stick on the ice in front of the net. Why? McDavid can decide to turn a defence inside out and lay it off to the forward by the goal.
In the playoffs, McDavid played mostly with Draisaitl and Corey Perry. With Perry injured and now a member of the Los Angeles Kings, that “Hart” line isn’t an option. Evander Kane was also moved on this summer. He’s now a member of the Vancouver Canucks. All of these players who had been in Edmonton for a while have changed around the Oilers’ captain. With hockey players being extreme creatures of habit, you have to wonder how this affected McDavid.
Right now, this is not doing a world of good for the Oilers’ hopes of keeping McDavid happy. That will hopefully change as training camp endures. As the clock ticks closer to the start of a new campaign, we will get a more unambiguous indication of Kris Knoblauch’s lineup. At this point, we still do not know what details will shake out during the Oilers’ training camp. It’s going to be a long road before we understand.
The Upside
It’s not all downside. Mangiapane has an excellent shot. If the plan for the Oilers is to have McDavid allow Mangiapane to use it, it has merit. Mangiapane had 14 goals in Washington last season, with just 13:02 ice time per game. That’s really promising. Having him fed by someone with McDavid’s ridiculous skill set could see him explode offensively. It’ll require him to be smart, but there is upside for everyone involved.
As for David Tomasek, he’s interesting. He needs to be evaluated in a deeper context. He’s probably just a depth player if he makes the NHL, but he is an unknown. That’s unique in the modern NHL. Teams prefer known quality to the mystery box. In this situation, the mystery box may be a more beneficial item than a known player. Tomasek has a lower cap hit for a team in a cap crunch, especially given the uncertainty around the roster.
Off-Ice McDavid Issues
As for what is happening away from the ice, it’s the same story with McDavid. He’s focused on winning, and everything is on the table. Whether it be long-term, short-term, or no-term, his camp is exploring everything, and rightfully so. The Oilers will pay him whatever he asks for because he is the best player on the planet. His negotiating situation is unique because the Oilers have no leverage. They can’t trade the best player in the world. Edmonton is the only organization in the league with experience trading the best player in the league in his prime. That did not work out well.
It means the Oilers are dealing from a position of weakness. They cannot afford to let McDavid walk away for nothing. If the Oilers captain gives the organization a number to pay, they have to. However, McDavid has yet to provide any indication that he wishes to commit to Edmonton beyond this season.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron- Imagn Images
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