'It's my job to connect with Connor': Oilers GM ready and waiting work with McDavid on new deal

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Oilers GM Stan Bowman says he's looking at making changes in goal and at forward with the Edmonton Oilers, but he's not looking at major change, given the success of the Stanley Cup Final team.
Said Bowman at his season-end press conference today: 'Sitting here today with the way it ended, it certainly feels like a disappointment. And I think it's hard to in the moment, to reflect upon how great a seasoning was. I think over time, you get some perspective on that. And I know from experience that emotions of the moment right now are are challenging, But I'll try to do my best to explain, you know, the fact that this was a great season. We fell short, but we did a lot of great things we you know, there's 30 other teams that would would trade with where we were… At the end of the day, Florida, you know, played better than we did in the Final, and they deserved it.

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Winnipeg Free Press

an hour ago

• Winnipeg Free Press

Oilers GM Bowman willing to work on McDavid's timeline for extension

EDMONTON – Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is ready to work on Connor McDavid's timeline for a contract extension. 'Connor is the most important player in the league,' Bowman said Friday. 'He's our captain, he's our leader. He's certainly our top priority and he's earned the right for us to be respectful of his timing. 'He's driving that process.' McDavid is heading into the final year of his contract and becomes eligible to sign an extension on July 1. The Oilers captain, however, said Thursday after the Oilers' exit meetings that he's in no rush to make a decision about his future. McDavid also explained that winning is his top priority, which doesn't surprise Bowman. 'He wants to win,' Bowman said. 'He just wants to win the cup, that's all he cares about. He's not driven by statistics or points or records or money.' Bowman and head coach Kris Knoblauch met reporters for an end-of-season news conference three days after Edmonton's loss to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final. The GM said the Oilers will look to make changes during the off-season, particularly on offence and in goal. 'We're not going to bring the same guys back,' he said. 'The area with the least amount of change is going to be our defence. Up front, we need some different players. I wouldn't expect wholesale changes; we're not going to have nine or 10 new players. 'Forwards and the goalies are the ones we're going to evaluate the most deeply.' Beyond McDavid, the Oilers' most pressing matter is signing star defenceman Evan Bouchard, who's set to become a restricted free agent July 1. Bouchard said Thursday he wants to stay in Edmonton. So did forwards Corey Perry and Trent Frederic. The Oilers, according to multiple reports, have a deal in place for Frederic. Bowman wouldn't confirm the contract, but he called Frederic 'a pretty unique player in the league.' 'There's not a lot of guys that have that combination of his age, his experience, his competitiveness, size, physicality,' Bowman said of the player he acquired from the Boston Bruins before the NHL trade deadline. 'And I think when you add it all up, he could bring a lot to the team.' The 27-year-old Frederic had one goal and three assists during the playoffs, albeit with 85 hits. Frederic produced 40 points during the 2023-24 season with the Bruins. Bowman previously said he feels Frederic could be a top-six winger or a third-line centre. 'Incredibly competitive, great teammate, great guy,' said Bowman. 'He brings an element that I think you need, which is very competitive, fearless. Nobody's going to push us around. 'He's really impressive to have someone with his skill set that can play three different positions. When we talked to him yesterday, he said he likes to play centre.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.

The Province

2 hours ago

• The Province

No bigger winner in the business of sport this week than the Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers centre Brad Marchand skates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Cup Final on June 17 in Sunrise, Fla. Photo by Lynne Sladky / AP On this first day of summer and longest day of sunshine of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, there's plenty to be bullish about in the business of sport, beginning with the two words 'Game 7' in the NBA, where the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will play for all of the marbles on Sunday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The NHL fell short at six games in its Stanley Cup Final this spring after watching the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers go the distance 12 months ago in their first of back-to-back showdowns. That was the 18th Cup Final Game 7 over the course of 83 years, with the previous final series maximum having been reached when the St. Louis Blues won their first Cup in franchise history, beating the Boston Bruins in 2019. The Association, on the other hand, is playing an NBA Finals Game 7 for the first time in nine years, when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Moreover, the NBA is in one of those scenarios where they'll have a compelling storyline and first-time champion, either way. That won't fully mitigate against the small-market matchup when it comes to TV ratings, but it will at least make the most of the showdown between the 25th biggest TV market in the U.S. (Indianapolis) and the 47th largest (OKC). Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It was also a bullish week for emerging sport business tycoon Mark Walter, who announced that he will be adding the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA to his impressive list of sport properties, one that has featured the defending World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers since 2012. The deal between Walter, who is building on a personal net worth that was estimated at US$6.1 billion in February, and the longtime Buss family ownership group values the Lakers at US$10 billion, a record franchise transaction in North American pro sport. Walter's reach and influence also extends to Chelsea of the Premier League of English soccer, a stake in Strasbourg of the French Ligue 1, Cadillac Formula One, and single-entity governance and ownership of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yet there was no bigger winner in the business of sport this week than owner Vinnie Viola and his Panthers, who won their second consecutive Cup title in their third straight trip to the championship series. The dominant performance by the Paul Maurice-coached Panthers inspired many to begin referring to them as a dynasty, suggesting that two wins in three finals in the salary cap era at least rivals three or four straight titles in the years before payroll restrictions and the resulting competitive parity were introduced in to the NHL more than 20 years ago. It's an impressive achievement, not only for the Panthers, but also for the sunbelt hockey strategy deployed as part of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's more than 30-year tenure. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It marks the sixth straight year in which the Cup has gone through the state of Florida, with two wins and three trips through Tampa Bay 2020-22 and the same through Sunrise, Fla., 2023-25. It's a remarkable evolution as well for a team that has spent much of its history with among the lowest attendance in the NHL. The Panthers have nowhere near the profile of a Canadian-based market, but give credit where credit is due: They're run by a highly respected hockey operations department that does much more than simply benefit from zero state income tax provisions in Florida. Bears of the week The FIFA 2026 World Cup — now less than a year away — will be a huge success played before sellouts throughout its three host countries of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. That doesn't change the fact that the Cup hasn't made quite the same dent, at least so far, on attendance and fan engagement in the American stadiums that are hosting it. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Fast-forward eight to 12 years and the global club championship will be better understood. Consider these growing pains for an event that just a few years ago was played under more of a 'final four' format, not a 32-team competition spanning all six continents. Tom Mayenknecht is the host of The Sport Market on Sportsnet 650 on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Vancouver-based sport business commentator and principal in Emblematica Brand Builders provides a behind-the-scenes look at the sport business stories that matter most to fans. Follow Mayenknecht at: Read More

Ottawa Citizen

2 hours ago

• Ottawa Citizen

'Not trying to take a different route': Oilers GM isn't planning major changes

Connor McDavid isn't waiting for a cavalry of reinforcements to gallop over the horizon and lift the Edmonton Oilers to a championship. Article content Which is good, because general manager Stan Bowman isn't promising one. Article content Aside from a mid-level move here and there, it will be pretty much the same team coming back to try again next year. Article content 'We come back and we do it again,' McDavid said about his expectations for next season. 'It's not like we have a ton of cap room and a long list of highly-touted prospects knocking on the door. It has to come from within the players who are playing. Everyone has to find a new level, myself included. Article content Article content 'Ultimately, it's on every person in that room and that organization to dust themselves off and come back and be better.' Article content Article content That's the company message Bowman reinforced when he met with the media for a 25-minute post-mortem/look ahead Friday. He sees a team that is THIS close to a championship and doesn't want to fix what isn't necessarily broken. Article content 'The way it ended certainly feels like a disappointment. It's hard, in the moment, to reflect on how great a season it was. We fell short, but we did a lot of great things. There are 30 other teams that would trade with where we were.' Article content Bowman saw a team where goaltending, depth, puck movers and star players combined to go on a 12-2 run in the Western Conference playoffs, blowing through the Kings, Golden Knights and Stars like it was easy. Article content 'We left those teams, L.A., Vegas and Dallas, scratching their heads like, 'What happened?'' said Bowman. 'We did to those other teams what Florida did to us.' Article content Article content So you don't blow that up. But standing pat isn't an option, either. Bowman said talks are already underway in advance of the free agent market opening on July 1, with the focus being at forward and in goal. Article content Article content 'The area with the least amount of change will be defence,' he said. 'We have guys under contract and they played very well. Probably won't be big changes there. Article content 'Up front, we need some different players. I wouldn't expect wholesale charges, we're not going to have nine or 10 new players, but I do think we're going to have some changes. More likely, the forwards and the goalies are the ones we're going to evaluate the most deeply.' Article content The Oilers also need to get younger and faster, but that's easier said than done when you're in the middle of a Win Now window. This isn't the time to be breaking in rookies, but they also can't ignore the future. Article content 'We're going to do our best to give opportunities to players,' said Bowman. 'But it's not like we're going to put a bunch of inexperienced guys in the lineup. Our objective is to win next year. We're not trying to take a different route, we want to be playing in the final next year.'