Wayne Gretzky doesn’t sound worried about Connor McDavid going anywhere.
On Wednesday’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the Hockey Hall of Famer and former Edmonton Oilers captain made it clear he believes the Oilers’ current superstar is staying put.
“I think he’s a mainstay in Edmonton,” Gretzky said. “He likes it there.
The organization is a good organization. They’ve got a chance every year to win.
That’s all he wants. I don’t see Connor leaving Edmonton.”
That’s the kind of answer Oilers fans want to hear, especially with McDavid’s contract situation already drawing plenty of attention. Before the 2025-26 season started, he was without an extension, a reality that had plenty of people around Edmonton on edge. General manager Stan Bowman and the Oilers eventually got the former first-overall pick locked in on a two-year extension worth an AAV of $12.5 million.
Even with that deal in place, the long-term picture still hangs over everything. McDavid could be eligible to sign a new contract as early as July 1, 2027, and the thought of him possibly reaching that point without a new commitment has understandably fueled plenty of concern.
For Edmonton, the big question is what the team looks like when this current contract runs out. If the Oilers aren’t in championship shape by then, some around the team fear McDavid could decide to chase a better chance at the Stanley Cup elsewhere - the one piece still missing from his resume.
Gretzky, though, believes McDavid’s priorities are pretty simple.
“There’s always a stigma about winning a Stanley Cup,” Gretzky said. “I know him really well.
Nobody wants to win a championship worse than he does. Hopefully his time will come.
I know it’s not from a lack of effort or dedication or love of the sport. And I hope one day he gets that opportunity to lift the Stanley Cup.”
McDavid’s résumé already reads like a Hall of Famer’s. He has six Art Ross Trophies, which trails only Gretzky.
He sits second in Oilers history in assists with 813 and points with 1,222, while ranking fifth in goals with 417 and tied for ninth in games played with 795. His 1.54 points per game place him third in NHL history, behind only Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
He also got right back to work Tuesday night, picking up two assists in Edmonton’s season-opening loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
In Other News...
Ty France Just Relived A Playoff Break That Will Sting Blue Jays Fans
Ty France got a fresh dose of postseason frustration in Game 1 of the NLDS against Milwaukee, when what looked like a potential go-ahead homer was wiped away after the ball hit the roof at American Family Field and was caught. The play was bizarre enough on its own, and it ended up folding into a 3-2 loss for the Padres, the kind of one-run October game where every odd bounce feels magnified.
Blue Jays fans may remember France for an earlier playoff break of their own, back when he was in Toronto and a ball got stuck under the wall at Rogers Centre, taking away what could have been an inside-the-park home run in a critical game. For a player who has now lived through more than one strange postseason twist, it is another reminder of how thin the margin can be in October and how quickly a big swing can turn into a story fans never quite forget. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Catching Prospect Is Giving Fans A Reason To Watch Arizona
The Blue Jays sent a familiar group of prospects to the Arizona Fall League with the Mesa Solar Sox, and catcher Aaron Parker wasted little time giving the organization something to follow. Parker, who has put together steady production even while working through injury setbacks, opened with a strong showing and shared the field with former teammate Arjun Nimmala, now in the Angels system, as both players looked comfortable in a setting built for development.
Parker went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in a recent game, a line that fits the kind of progress Toronto has been hoping to see from him. Nimmala also chipped in with a hit and an RBI, which only adds another layer of intrigue for Blue Jays fans keeping tabs on the AFL, where the early returns suggest Mesa could be worth a closer look. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Still Face One Big Outfield Question After Batemans Rise
Brett Batemans first run with the Blue Jays in 2026 gave the club something it has been looking for in the outfield: a young player who can get on base and create some havoc with his speed, even in limited at-bats. Ross Atkins has already publicly highlighted Batemans smooth transition to the majors, but he also made clear that the organization has to be careful about how much it asks of a player still learning on the job.
Thats why Toronto is still weighing an outside addition in the outfield, even with Batemans rise changing the conversation. The Jays want to bolster the lineup and give the rookie some support rather than hand him the entire burden, which is why established names such as Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena have come up as possible fits. For a team trying to sharpen its offense, the question is no longer whether Bateman belongs, but who can help make his emergence easier to absorb. [Read more 🡒]