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With his contract almost up, the Edmonton Oilers are mulling their options as they now prepare to offer everything they’ve got to keep their main star Connor McDavid with the hopes of keeping him for good. However, they will have to wait until the star center is ready to engage in contract discussions before they can put up a lucrative deal now more than ever.

Most of the discussions with McDavid in the past few weeks after being eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final was all about how the team can improve its chances, what they need to work out on this offseason – but way never about the contract that he needs to stay with the team for the years to come.

At the age of 28, McDavid is coming off back-to-back losses in the Stanley Cup Final. He is still in his prime years, and he is also approaching the final year of his eight-year, $100 million deal that he signed way back in July 2017. This just means that he could either sign yet another big deal, or the worst-case scenario – see how the coming season will turn out for the Oilers before inking a deal, or try out his worth in the free agency market.

A Big Season Coming Up

The 2025-26 NHL season will be the biggest for McDavid. Entering his 11th year in the squad, the center has become quite a phenomenal performer – tallying 1,082 points (361 goals, 721 assists) in 712 regular-season games and 150 points (44 goals, 106 assists) in 96 playoff games. He has also won the Hart Trophy (MVP) three times. He also ended up winning the Ted Lindsay Award four times.

Perhaps the best of his feats – the Art Ross Trophy five times and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the finals MVP of the 2025 Playoffs. However, all of these mean nothing unless he adds the final trophy he’s missing in his already historic career – the Stanley Cup.

Reaching the top at the best time of his career is definitely one of the historic moments a player can enjoy. McDavid is certainly keen to reach that point and show that he can be an elite performer when it matters most. This just says a lot about how Edmonton needs to focus on keeping their main star satisfied and actively pursuing the goal.

“This core has been together for a long time, and we’ve been building to this moment all along,” McDavid said. “The work that’s gone on behind the scenes, the conversations, the endless disappointment, and some good times along the way obviously as well. We’re all in this together trying to get it over that finish line.

More Work to Do

Whether or not Edmonton will pursue a new deal with McDavid, the team still has a total of six players entering the free agency market this week. Talents such as forwards Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, and Derek Ryan, and defenseman John Klingberg are all going that way – as unrestricted free agents.

If they want to keep McDavid, the team also has to surround him with the right talent to win. Luckily, Leon Draisaitl is secured, so there’s no need to come up with more talks around him. Evan Bouchard is currently a restricted free agent, and contract talks are underway. So there’s that.

Until it is possible that McDavid would have a championship core heading for next season locked in, he may not be willing to start contract negotiations as well.

It could have been much worse, considering that the New York Islanders weren’t one of the fortunate teams to make a deep run last playoffs. But now armed with the 1st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, it does seem that fortune favors the bold after all, as the team now sets its eyes on the future and hopefully comes up with a promising selection that would help them become competitive in the coming years.

Nothing has been easy for the Islanders over the past few years. The last five years have seen them struggle to stay relevant on the playoff stage. To start, the team has yet to win a single playoff series in that span. They lost to the Tampa Lightning in seven games back in 2021, then missed out on the following year. New York would then go on to lose back-to-back playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023 and 2024.

This year? Perhaps another disappointing stretch as they missed out on another playoff campaign, so there’s that. But maybe this time would be a different run as they hope to present themselves with the best chance, armed with the 1st overall pick in the draft.

Hauling in the Future

The Islanders are expected to select Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. Coming from the Ontario Hockey League, the defenseman is ranked 1st in the scouting reports and remains the consensus no. 1 selection had the pick gone to another team in the league. So far, it seems that the Islanders will waste no time in bringing him in too, which says a lot about the expectations for the team moving forward.

However, it is worth noting that the 17-year-old prospect only played a total of 17 games in the previous season. He had to endure a fractured clavicle back in December 2024 when he played for Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship. Those circumstances, however, don’t seem to affect his draft value.

"We're extremely excited about putting together a team that gets younger and faster and exciting," Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said. "I think the fan base wants to see that, and this is the first step. It's going to be a new day in that respect and I think (GM) Mathieu (Lamoriello) supports that, which is the most important thing. You need to have the support of your hockey operations people in that regard and Mathieu understands how that works."

The Excitement of the Draft

It is clear that the Islanders will not be trading the no. 1 pick (I mean, who would even do that?). That paves the way for a Draft Party set by the Islanders at the UBS Arena and would also feature current players such as Ryan Pulock, Casey Cizikas, Jean-Gabriel Pagea, and Scott Mayfield. All of the hype is leading up to the 1st pick being delivered is showing hope for the team at this point.

The future is now for the Islanders, and it seems that they will need to grind hard if they want to make the most of their chances and see how they can fuel their winning chances for the next campaign.

Who knows, maybe this is going to be a wonder season for New York, and we are coming along for the ride towards greatness in the NHL.

Back-to-back championships are never an easy feat, but being able to repeat takes a lot of work in the offseason as well. That’s the current focus for the Florida Panthers as they now plan their signings well to keep their best stars together and locked in for yet another stunning finish in the coming campaigns.

For starters, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad are all set to be unrestricted free agents this offseason, and the team hopes to keep them all together in the squad heading into its attempt at a third straight title. Who knows, maybe they could actually go for it and make history in the Stanley Cup once more.

Now that the offseason is in full swing, fans may even expect to see more from the Panthers to keep its top stars, and hopefully add a few key pieces who could increase their chances as well. No matter what the Panthers will work on this offseason, it begins by signing the trio of Marchand, Bennett, and Ekblad to ensure the core stays together.

Why Should the Panthers Extend Deals to these Players?

Let’s get it straight, Marchand scored 20 points, Bennett had 22, and Ekblad has been a superior two-way performer for a defenseman. Each of these players has become an integral part of Florida’s flourishing performances, and they sure deserve the praise they are getting – as well as the raise they will get for their impact.

“I know you're going to have a different roster each and every year, but hopefully, the core of guys, we can just continue building with that," Tkachuk said. “With that being said, we've got some unbelievable players that are up for contracts that I hope they get every single cent they can because that’s what you want for your best friends and players around the League.”

Tkachuk’s comments reflect the strong chemistry and culture Florida has built — an intangible asset just as valuable as cap space. And that chemistry could help in negotiations, as veterans like Marchand may prioritize winning over squeezing every dollar from the market.

Florida will need to be creative in retaining its key players without compromising long-term flexibility. Rumors suggest the team is considering moving a few depth contracts to clear space, potentially opening room for new acquisitions or bigger deals for their core.

Shot at Another Run?

With two straight titles under their belt, Florida's front office, led by General Manager Bill Zito, is facing a crucial crossroads — but one that also offers immense opportunity. If they can retain these core players while finding value in depth signings, the Panthers could realistically chase a third straight Stanley Cup. Only a handful of teams in NHL history have accomplished a three-peat, most recently the New York Islanders in the early 1980s.

The players know what's at stake — and they know who they want beside them on that journey.

Beyond keeping Marchand, Bennett, and Ekblad, the Panthers could also be active in free agency. With solid goaltending already in place, the team may look to bolster its bottom-six forwards or add a veteran defenseman as insurance. But make no mistake — their success begins with bringing their stars back.

The NHL’s offseason is full of surprises, but one thing is certain: Florida isn’t satisfied with just two championships. They’ve got their eyes set on more, and keeping their winning core together is the first, most important step.