Connor McDavid remains the face of Mike Babcock's Oilers, but an NHL Network analyst just put three possible future destinations on the board.
E.J. Hradek told the Bleed Oil Blue Podcast that winning would drive McDavid's thinking if the superstar centre ever decided to leave Edmonton.
That distinction matters. Hradek wasn't reporting that McDavid has requested a trade or that Edmonton is shopping its captain. He was laying out the markets he believes could make sense in a future chase.
McDavid is also under contract through 2027-28 after signing a 2-year extension carrying a $12,500,000 annual cap hit.
That gives Edmonton control of the situation, but it won't stop speculation around hockey's biggest name whenever another contender looks ready to make an aggressive push.
And McDavid's production keeps the conversation enormous. He finished the 2025-26 regular season with 48 goals and 138 points in 82 games.
Hradek's three hypothetical destinations were the Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, three major markets that could offer very different paths if McDavid ever reaches the open market.
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Winning would drive any McDavid decision
The key part of Hradek's argument wasn't market size. It was the chance to win, which immediately raises the bar for any club hoping to position itself for McDavid.
A pursuit would also require more than cap space. Any trade conversation would demand an enormous package, while a future free-agent run would require a roster strong enough to convince McDavid he can chase championships immediately.
Detroit stands out as a club with Todd McLellan behind the bench, giving that hypothetical destination another familiar McDavid connection.
Philadelphia would bring a massive hockey market and a chance to build around McDavid as the centerpiece of its top six and power play.
The Rangers would offer the brightest stage of the three, but roster construction and cap flexibility would decide whether that possibility ever becomes realistic.
For now, McDavid belongs to Edmonton. But Hradek putting Philadelphia, Detroit and New York on the board shows exactly where the conversation could go if winning ever pushes the NHL's biggest superstar toward a new address.
Will Connor McDavid finish his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers?
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