This Summer Cooler features one of the most fascinating—and fragile—franchises in the NHL: the Edmonton Oilers.

Despite being two-time defending Western Conference champions, the Oilers have no Cup to show for it, and now they face the biggest storyline in the NHL heading into 2025–26:

🔥 Connor McDavid enters the final year of his contract.

With Leon Draisaitl locked in through 2033 at $14M per, the expectation is that McDavid will command $16M+ AAV—but only if Edmonton proves they’re still capable of winning it all.

🧊 IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Why we’re leading off with Edmonton

[00:30] McDavid’s contract situation: two-part negotiation

[01:00] Team drops: Kane, Arvidsson, Perry, Brown, Klingberg, Skinner

[01:30] Resigns: Bouchard (4 yrs, $10.5M), Frederick, Kapanen

[02:15] Adds: Isaac Howard, Lazar, Mangiapane, Stillman

[03:00] No real upgrade—top-heavy, older, and slower

[04:00] Oilers now second-oldest team in the NHL (behind Pittsburgh)

[05:00] Will McDavid commit to 8 more years—or go shorter similar to Bouchard?

[06:00] Could we see a Marner-style trade and sign elsewhere?

[07:00] Blue line and goaltending analysis

[08:00] Playoff reality check: They weren’t close to Florida

[09:00] Youth watch: Howard, Savoy, Podkolzin

[10:00] The great unknown in the Great White North

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

McDavid Watch is on. He’s in the final year of his deal, and unless the Oilers improve, there’s no guarantee he stays.

Leon Draisaitl’s contract ($14M AAV) set a new bar—and McDavid will almost certainly want more if he re-signs.

Offseason moves? Underwhelming. No major upgrades. Top-six still elite—but the bottom-six and blue line remain major liabilities.

Goaltending returns with question marks. Skinner and Pickard didn’t get it done last spring, and nothing’s changed.

Too old, too thin. At 31 avg. age, only the Penguins are older. The window is closing fast.

🎯 FINAL WORD:

This should be the year the Oilers go all in.

❄️ They’re older, slower, and less deep than the team that just lost in 6 games to Florida.

Unless prospects like Isaac Howard break out or management swings a blockbuster, Connor McDavid may decide Edmonton isn’t worth eight more years of waiting.

And if that happens?

It’s rebuild season in Oil Country.

🔗 RESOURCE LINKS:

📺 YouTube: NHL Wraparound Channel

🐦 X (Twitter): @NHLWraparound

🎤 Neil Smith: @NYCNeil

📘 Vic Morren: Vic on LinkedIn

📸 Instagram: @NHLWraparound

🎵 TikTok: @NHLWraparound

👍 Facebook: NHL Wraparound Facebook

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