Earlier this week Edmonton Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson sounded supremely confident about getting a new deal worked out with Oilers captain Connor McDavid, but yesterday’s comments from McDavid himself have left many wondering if that confidence was entirely misplaced.

Although McDavid did reiterate his desire to win in Edmonton, those would not be the only comments he would make on the day.

“I have every intention to win in Edmonton,” said McDavid on Wednesday. “It is my intention to win there.”

When he was pressed on the possibility of coming into the season without a contract however, McDavid did admit that there was indeed a possibility that he would not sign before the start of the season.

“I would say all options are on the table really,” admitted McDavid. “As I said we are going through it and I don’t have a preference either way.”

NHL insider Chris Johnston reports that he doesn’t think McDavid will sign an extension before the season begins. “If you had to pin me down, my guess is the season will start without him signing an extension,” Johnston said yesterday on TSN.

Connor McDavid

Johnston’s TSN colleague Ryan Rishaug reports that he believes McDavid he re-up with the Oilers, but not on a long-term deal. He believes that the captain will instead sign a four year deal.

“My instinct tells me…I don’t know that an 8 year deal is the most likely option,” Rishaug said for TSN yesterday. “I think maybe somewhere in the range of 4 years or so.”

Meanwhile, fellow NHL insider Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet) reports that the team’s goaltending situation and their lack of depth are concerns that could be keeping McDavid from committing to Edmonton. “There’s something imperfect in his eyes, whether effective youth or strong enough goaltending or something else,” Friedman wrote for Sportsnet yesterday.

Certainly, goaltending has been an issue for the Oilers in recent seasons. There have been rumors for years now that the team has been looking to acquire a bonafide #1 goaltender to pair with Stuart Skinner, but they come up short of making changes every single offseason. The one time they did try to make a big splash, it blew up in their face. I’m referring of course to the awful contract that former GM Ken Holland offered to Jack Campbell, now with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Something may have to finally give if the Oilers want to keep their captain around long-term.

Incidentally, Friedman’s former colleague and 32 Thoughts co-host Jeff Marek reported earlier this week that he feels there are two minor league goaltenders that the Oilers should be looking at.

“There are two that I wonder about; I do wonder about Michael DiPietro; I do wonder about Nico Daws; and it becomes a different situation with a different backup to Stuart Skinner,” said Marek on his podcast The Sheet on Monday.

To that I say… c’mon.

The Oilers are entering a contract year for McDavid and they’re holding out hope for the likes of Michael DiPietro and Nico Daws? C’mon…

That’s just not going to cut it…