Exploring what it would take for the Detroit Red Wings to acquire Oilers’ Connor McDavid in 2026 free agency.
The speculation continues to grow around if Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will re-sign with the team or explore free agency next off-season. More and more insider reports have indicated that an extension likely won’t be done before the start of the season, meaning the pressure will be firmly placed on the Oilers to show their captain that they are an attractive destination that has the chance to win a Stanley Cup.
After two straight losses in the Stanley Cup Finals, reports suggest that McDavid has become “fanatical” when it comes to winning a championship. The same reports suggest this is why a deal hasn’t been done yet as he isn’t sure if after two Finals runs that the team has anything left in the tank. The Oilers are set to start two rookies in their top six next season with a poor outcome likely signaling McDavid’s exit.
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When these reports first came out, we laid out a potential plan of attack for Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman as the the team has enough cap space to take on a contract of McDavid’s size next season and beyond due to a few pending free agents. The Red Wings would have potentially $24 million in available cap that could allow the team to make any offer they so choose with McDavid. The second part of this problem is how do they show McDavid that they have the pieces to compete for a Stanley Cup?
Red Wings Emerging as Potential Landing Spot for Oilers’ Connor McDavid
Red Wings could present solid case if Oilers’ Connor McDavid opts for free agency in 2026.
The first step that could work as a season long objective is to make the playoffs. If they fail to do this once again, then there’s little to no chance that McDavid will want to choose Detroit. They will then need to add pieces to their lineup while also leaving themselves in a position to have enough cap space for McDavid. A good angle for this could be season rentals.
The 2026 free agency class is loaded with talent and if the Red Wings can go out and add a player that is due for a new contract in 2026, they could work it around a chance at landing McDavid. An example of this could be Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who has been recently involved in trade rumors and could join the Red Wings for this season at a very friendly $4.55 million person.
If they can offer him something in the neighborhood of what Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad just got this past July with an eight-year deal and a cap hit at $6.1 million per season, that would still leave $18 million for the Red Wings. They could go after a player like McDavid or if they fail, Jets star winger Kyle Connor. Adding a stud defenseman like Andersson should help propel Detroit into the playoffs and could make them a dark horse to go far depending on their seeding.
They could also go for a cheaper alternative and add a pair of cheaper options to further the depth in the lineup with low-cost players like a forward in Kiefer Sherwood or a Kevin Stenlund while adding to the backend with a player like Vincent Desharnais. The two additions could both total roughly $4 million or below and helped strengthen the overall team.
Either way, it could show star talent entering the market next off-season that Detroit is just one star player away from being a Stanley Cup contender. If Detroit finishes with a top three spot in the Atlantic with the help of some rentals via trade and also showcase their young talent coming up to the main roster in the next few seasons, it could present a solid case for McDavid or Connor to join the Red Wings.
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