Connor McDavid may have accidentally hinted at his next team while speaking to a kid in Utah
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Connor McDavid named Toronto as his favourite NHL arena outside Edmonton when a young reporter asked in Utah, and Leafs fans are reading way too much into it.
Connor McDavid just handed Leafs Nation something to chew on.
A young reporter in Utah asked the Oilers captain to name his favourite NHL arena to play in outside of Edmonton, and McDavid went with Toronto.
It is a small moment, but it came from a kid, which is why it lands.
There was no long speech, just a quick pick from a guy who grew up in Newmarket, about 35 miles north of Scotiabank Arena.
Why Toronto makes sense for McDavid
McDavid has never hidden his Toronto roots.
He played his minor hockey in the Greater Toronto area, grew up cheering for the Maple Leafs, and has said before that he enjoys watching them play.
He even won the 2024 All-Star Skills competition inside Scotiabank Arena.
Is it a hint? Probably not. Favourite arena and favourite destination are two different questions, and McDavid has never said he wants out of Edmonton.
Still, the timing gives fans plenty to work with.
The contract clock is ticking
McDavid signed a two-year, $25 million extension last fall that carries a $12.5 million cap hit and runs through the 2027-28 season.
He can hit free agency in the summer of 2028, when he will be 31.
The Oilers captain opened the season with points in each of his first eight games, and his five-point night in Salt Lake City on Oct. 17 gave him 23 points, the most in the NHL at that point.
Leafs fans will keep dreaming, and honestly, who can blame them?
Maybe it was just an honest answer to a kid's simple question.
Maybe it was a little more.
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