Oilers GM Stan Bowman rejects "hypothetical" Connor McDavid trade talks, stays positive about extending franchise superstar

The Edmonton Oilers' team camp starts next Wednesday and, in all likelihood, will go ahead without Connor McDavid signing a contract extension. The star forward has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman, on TSN's Overdrive, addressed McDavid's situation. When asked about the possibility of McDavid moving to another team, Bowman dismissed the idea, signalling that they will be able to keep their franchise icon.

"I don't like talking about hypotheticals," Bowman said. "I get the question, but I don't think there's value. There's a million different what-ifs that people could throw our way, and I think that's not really a productive discussion. I love having him on our team here.

"I know he's dedicated, and he, just to quote what he said, "There's nothing he wants more than to win the cup in Edmonton." So, I think that's kind of what we're all focused on right now, heading into next week, and looking forward to seeing camp start up."

Connor McDavid, heading into the last year of his eight-year $100 million contract, is expected to get a massive upgrade. He has won virtually all individual awards and has led the club to back-to-back Stanley Cup appearances. Their failures to win the championship must have cast some doubt on his long-term future, though.

Nevertheless, even if McDavid signs a short-term deal, that will be a positive situation for the Oilers, who will be expected to keep having a crack at the Stanley Cup with their captain in the lead. In 712 games, he has scored 1082 points for the Oilers.

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Stan Bowman ready to face questions regarding distractions due to Connor McDavid's contract situation

Stan Bowman was also asked about Connor McDavid's comments in the previous week, when he said that 'all options" were on the table, including "no term" with the Oilers, and whether those could lead to potential distractions, as players head to camp.

"There's going to be questions, and I know that," Bowman accepted. "I'm sure Connor's aware of that, too. And I think we do want to focus on the season. There's a lot of exciting things to look forward to for this year.

"So, it's a fair question, and I don't want it to be a distraction either, and I know Connor indicated he doesn't. But we don't control what people talk about, and I understand the interest level of the fans and the media."

Connor McDavid's contract is expected to be upwards of $16 million annual average value at the least. Analysts have called him worth as far as $20 million with the salary cap rising. But a team-friendly contract might allow the Oilers some room to keep improving their team in the future with McDavid at its helm.