Patrick Kane has put Jonathan Toews back in the conversation, and Toews didn’t exactly shut the door.
On Pardon My Take, Kane said he brought up the idea of a one-year return to Chicago, and Toews answered with a line that leaves plenty of room for speculation: “I’m thinking about it.”
Nothing is locked in, and Toews has not confirmed anything publicly. The Blackhawks, at least from the way they’re talking about it, seem to be treating a return more like an honorary possibility than a real roster move. Even so, that’s enough to keep Chicago fans watching every update.
The Edmonton side of the story is built around a different kind of veteran presence. Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman have both spoken highly of Mike Babcock, and the tone around that praise suggests more than simple approval. It points to a team leaning into a hard-edged, win-now kind of coaching setup.
The comparison that comes up is John Tortorella’s Golden Knights run, which reached the Stanley Cup Final and showed how a veteran coach can matter when a team is trying to squeeze everything out of its window. Put that next to the Babcock-Hyman connection, and the picture gets pretty clear: Edmonton appears to want structure, pressure, and experience.
McDavid addressed the upcoming season while speaking at Hyman’s golf tournament, where he talked about the new additions, the refreshed coaching staff, and the overall feel around the team. He also said he was genuinely upset about Darnell Nurse being traded to San Jose.
At the same time, McDavid sounded encouraged by the summer reset. He said the longer break gave him a proper chance to train, get healthier, and work on areas the team hasn’t been able to focus on during shorter off-seasons.
He also had strong words for Babcock, calling it a great opportunity for the players and praising the coach for the experience and preparation he brings. The message was simple: Edmonton has to be ready.
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It also fit into a busy stretch around the league, where contract talk is starting to shape the next few months for a few headline names. Quinn Hughes is expected to begin extension discussions with Minnesota, and the early sense is that he may want a shorter commitment than the club would prefer, while Winnipegs move to sign Stuart Skinner has added another layer to the goalie market. For Edmonton, it is another reminder that the leagues biggest decisions often start long before the ink dries. [Read more 🡒]
What McDavid Gave Up For Edmonton Just Raised The Pressure
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McDavids willingness to take a shorter-term path has given Edmonton a different kind of leverage, one that matters in a cap system where every decision ripples outward. It has helped the Oilers preserve flexibility for the roster around him, from future negotiations to the kind of trade and offer-sheet maneuvering that can shape a contenders window, and it only raises the pressure to make sure that sacrifice actually turns into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Growing Matt Savoie Decision They Can't Ignore
Matt Savoies situation is starting to feel like one of those quiet roster questions that can turn loud fast. His agent said there have been no talks yet with the Oilers about a long-term extension, even as the club is already looking ahead to its roster plans for the 2026-27 season and weighing how its young pieces fit into the bigger picture.
Savoie has another year left on his current deal before he reaches restricted free agency, which gives Edmonton some time but not much room to drift. The same agent also pointed to Colton Dachs two-year contract and the steady progress he has made since joining the team, a reminder that the Oilers are sorting through more than one young-player decision as they try to keep the pipeline and the cap picture aligned. [Read more 🡒]