Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney jokes about ‘crisis’ around McDavid not signing extension

If you think McDavid Watch 2025 is limited to hockey circles, think again.

When speaking at a Liberal caucus retreat in Edmonton on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed the problems facing the country. He discussed the current problems with international trade, immigration, carbon taxes and…Connor McDavid’s contract situation?

Carney, who was a goaltender himself in a past life, joked about how the fact that the Edmonton Oilers captain doesn’t have a contract beyond the 2025-26 season is part of the country’s issues.

“Let’s face it, we are in a crisis,” Carney said. “The global trading system has been upended, supply chains have been destroyed, McDavid is unsigned.”

Carney was keen to point out that, without McDavid, the Oilers do still have some firepower on their roster.

“This is a rupture. As in times like these, you have to draw back in. Remember what you have – [Leon] Draisaitl, [Zach] Hyman, [Ryan] Nugent-Hopkins. We got to draw on those strengths.”

It’s not news that McDavid is heading into the final year of his eight-year contract that he signed in July 2017. All signs are pointing to him becoming one of, if not the, highest-paid player in the NHL, surpassing Drasaitl, as his longtime teammate is going to have a cap hit of $14 million for the next eight years starting this year.

Carney humorously pleaded to McDavid, saying that Parliament could work something out to keep him an Oiler, and hopefully bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back north of the border.

“Connor, if there’s anything we can do in the upcoming budget…we’re going to invest more so we can bring that Cup back to Canada.”

All joking aside, fans in Edmonton are split on what’s been happening, or not happening, in Alberta’s capital. McDavid has publicly stated that he wants to be patient in these negotiations, with the Oilers being respectful of No. 97’s wishes. At Canada’s Olympic Orientation Camp last month, McDavid stated that he has “every intention to win in Edmonton.” Around the same time, Oilers general manager Jeff Jackson spoke with Jeff Marek, host of Daily Faceoff’s The Sheet. He expressed how confident the team is in re-signing its superstar.

“I think that when Connor is ready,” Jackson said. “We’ll have the discussion and we’ll get a deal done.”

This isn’t the first time Carney has put himself in the same conversation as the Oilers. Last March, he jumped on the ice with the team at Rogers Place just a few days before being sworn in as the 24th prime minister of Canada.