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My brother in the States sent me this message. Second to watching the Oilers lose the cup is watching the TNT broadcasting crew walk back all their pro-Oliers talk throughout this series. #### you Gretzky
Just total domination by the Panthers. They are in a class of their own right now.
I give the Oilers credit, they had another impressive run. It looked like they had figured things out this year but the Panthers exposed the same weaknesses that have plagued them throughout the McDavid era - defence, goaltending, and depth. It will be fascinating to see what they do as there will be pressure to make changes.
I actually feel kind of sorry for McDavid. But hugely relieved not to see Perry, Kane, Draisaitl, and Bowman lift the cup.
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I said it before and I will say it again, Connor McDavid is going home. His whole life he has wanted to win Cups in Toronto, the fact they have not broken that curse makes it even more of a pull for him. He did his best to bring a Cup to Edmonton and the team that drafted him and he still has one more kick at it next year. He has earned the right at this stage of his career now to go after his dream, to be the hero that comes home and breaks the drought. What is the draw to stay in Edmonton? Winning a Cup? That would be nice and I am sure he would love it but he will always be in Wayne's shadow there. Draisaitl? Sure they are good friends but when has being friends with teammates stopped a guy from moving on? His wife's restaurant? Big deal, she can open one in Toronto as well. Toronto is where he trains in the offseason with his actual best friend Austin Matthews, his family and friends are there, it's where he spent his whole life wanting to play. Have you ever seen Connor McDavid's Leaf memorabilia collection? It's impressive. The source I have for this is rock solid, he is going to sign with the Leafs.
Yeah we’ve heard a lot about your “rock solid” sources over the years. Turned out to be absolute rubbish while you slandered and trashed Meredith Gaudreau for months.
So maybe let’s not do this again please.
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Last edited by Cole436; 06-17-2025 at 11:40 PM.
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Corey Perry has been on the losing end of Cup Finals for the fifth time in six years. Twice with the Edmonton, once with Tampa and Montreal and finally Dallas.
I have no idea how Dissentowner has been so sure of that outcome years out from his contract expiring, but he continues to shout it from the rooftops. Regardless of my skepticism I'll take it and I hope he's right!
And them losing another heartbreaker can't help Edmonton's re-signing chances, at the very least.
The important thing is that he gives them enough hope not to trade him at the TDL for a king's ransom and instead run it up to the 11th hour only for him to walk. That would be the perfect karmic book-end to them unjustly receiving that 1st OA pick in the first place.
I don't doubt that McDavid has an exit plan long in place. Recall there's a few times over his time there when the Oilers scrambled to address his concerns mid season and lost with him and his agent and business manager. It's been on his mind since the second contract.
The result of that plan, among other things, a concerted Snet buildup around Oiler friendly hosts and commentators, controlling the media meant controlling the message around him and pumping him up to be almost transcendent of the sport in Canada. The hiring of people around him, all to keep him happy and building a team no matter how achieved (Kane and other dubious things like retiring Smith against his will) to give the Oilers a chance to win with him while he's there.
It would not surprise me that McDavid has previously agreed to stay with the Oilers, or, at least content, because of the marketing push around him and having people close to him part of the organization.
...and it may have well been a handshake agreement that he won't sign another contract with the Oilers, and all parties know that, off the record.
This season and last season was their shot with him. Driasital took the money that most teams wouldn't offer, knowing likely that he won't be with McDavid for most of that contract.
McDavid will get his wish and play for the the Leafs and become the icon he never could achieve while in Edmonton.
Last edited by browna; 06-18-2025 at 12:08 AM.
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That's all fun and good fanfiction but I'm pretty sure he's going to sign pretty soon after July 1. Really hope not but for some reason he genuinely seems to like it up there. Which is wild — nobody is forcing you to stick around, Connor.
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I don't know why McDavid would stay apart from thinking he "owes it to the fans". There is pretty much nothing there for him. Any competant organization would have a cup with him already.
Not to mention if he does re-sign with them, they only have a 3rd in the first 5 rounds of this draft and no first round pick the following year either. He'll be pushing 31 by the time they draft in the 1st round next time and there's nothing in the pipe currently that has that organization excited either.
If you're McDavid you probably question if the Oilers can actually build a winner around you and I think that's the real determining factor.
They've had 10 years of Draisaitl and McDavid now and you realistically can't expect more from the two of them.
They have combined for 2029 pts and 758 goals in ~735 regular season games, which is easily 1st and 2nd in league scoring in that time. (2.76 points per game combined)
They have combined for 291 pts & 96 goals in 96 playoff games. (3.0 points per game combined)
Yet they have a .577 points percentage in the regular season (15th in the NHL in those 10 seasons), have never won a regular season division or conference title, and have never won a cup.
If you're McDavid and Draisaitl you have to be sitting there at this point and genuinely questioning if you have any more to give, and questioning how the team can actually get better with the cap, prospect, and asset limitations they have.
No cap space
No prospects
No draft picks
And really you can't expect any of their stars to perform better. This isn't a team like Toronto where you feel like there is more to give because the stars have underperformed, you know with Edmonton that 97 and 29 have given it all they have.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 06-18-2025 at 12:16 AM.
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