The Edmonton Oilers entered the postseason with expectations of another deep run but were eliminated in six games by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round.
Captain Connor McDavid, who played through an injury throughout the Oilers' brief postseason run, is entering the final two seasons under contract in Edmonton after he inked a new deal last offseason.
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman was asked about the future of McDavid in Edmonton if the team keeps failing to win the Stanley Cup, and while he addressed that topic, he pretty much refused to provide an in-depth answer to it.
“Well, we’re trying to win. I mean, we’re trying to find a way to win, and we’ve been doing that,” Bowman said. “So, those questions are more for Connor as far as what his plans are and his thoughts are. We’re on the same page as Connor—we want to win, too.”
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Bowman made clear that the organization’s direction remains focused on winning now, which aligns with McDavid's goal as he just wrapped up his 11th NHL season following the loss to the Ducks.
“All the moves that we make are geared towards trying to win the cup next year,” Bowman said. “We’re not building for, like I said, four years from now. So I think that it lines up very much in the same parallel path where Connor wants to win and we want to win.”
Bowman added that all roster decisions made by the Oilers' brass will continue to center on improving results during the current window of contention, whether that's through trades, signings, or development of players and prospects already in the franchise.
“We can only do that is build this team up the best we can, whether it’s trades or signings or development of players from within,” Bowman said. “It’s all with the hopes that it’s going to take us to a better result than we have now.”
McDavid, meanwhile, acknowledged his concerns about the team’s trajectory following the first-round loss to the Ducks.
“The organization as a whole is taking a step back, and that starts with me,” McDavid said. “It starts with me, it starts with Leon. We all can be better, and we all need to be better.”
However, he made it clear he wants “to win here in Edmonton” when asked about his future with the Oilers.
