NHL insider floats Connor McDavid's shocking move to Maple Leafs, $3.5B New York franchise if Oilers extension falls through

NHL insider Frank Seravalli addressed speculation about Connor McDavid’s future and about which teams might pursue the Oilers star.

On the "BR" podcast, Seravalli said if McDavid remains unsigned as training camp nears, trade talks could gain traction.

"He's not going anywhere. I think there's a very small chance, maybe very small is overstating it. I think there's a small chance that we get to a month from now and the camp's about to open and McDavid still doesn't have a deal done. That's when the conversation begins to percolate a lot more," Seravalli said (15:33 onwards).

If a move were to happen, big-market teams like the LA Kings, New York Rangers (valued at $3.5 billion by Forbes), Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Blackhawks could be potential destinations.

"It's pretty clear that he's going to do it on his own timeline. But that said, just think big market. Think LA, New York, Toronto, Chicago, like big, big markets that would have a player of that ilk. Those are the types of things that I'm sure hockey fans around the league are thinking about is getting the best player in the world into a big market," he added.

According to reports, there's a likelihood that McDavid will sign an extension with the Oilers, though the duration remains uncertain.

Edmonton Oilers are 'very early' in the process of Connor McDavid extension

Connor McDavid is entering the final year of his $100 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Discussions about a new extension have not yet begun between the Oilers and his representatives.

According to Frank Seravalli, the Oilers are in the early stages of negotiating McDavid's contract. The belief is that neither the Oilers nor McDavid's camp appears nervous or concerned.

"They're still kind of very early on in the process, and yet there doesn't seem to be any hint of nerves or panic or fear from either the Edmonton Oilers side, as best as I can tell, or also the McDavid side that I'd expect in relatively short order here, whether it's in the next week or two that that process will begin to ramp up…," Seravalli said.

Connor McDavid has been with the Oilers for the last 10 seasons. He has helped the club reach the back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Florida Panthers on both occasions.