Connor McDavid says Oilers have taken a step back

The Edmonton Oilers will not be making a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as they were eliminated from the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks in six games.

The Ducks now prepare to face the Vegas Golden Knights for the first time in their history, while the Oilers are now officially in offseason mode far earlier than they would have liked.

However, recent comments by Oilers captain Connor McDavid in which he described the franchise as “average” for much of this season have sparked speculation as to what it could mean for his long-term future with the franchise. Additionally, McDavid also stated his agreement with the assessment by teammate Leon Draisaitl that the organization took a collective step backward this year.

“Yeah I feel the same way,” said McDavid. “It’s only a couple days ago I made those comments, and I obviously feel the same as I did a couple days ago and agree with Leon. The organization has a whole has taken a step back, and that starts with me, starts with Leon. We can all be better, and we all need to be better.”

McDavid, whom the Oilers selected with the first overall pick just over a decade ago in the 2015 NHL Draft, has now completed 11 years in the league. While he recently agreed to a two-year extension to keep him a member of the team through 2028, Oilers fans are understandably getting concerned about the prospects of a potential departure by 2028 if Edmonton isn’t able to improve its fortunes in the playoffs by then.

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