Overview
- EA Sports and the NHL confirmed that Connor McDavid will be the inaugural 99 overall player in the upcoming NHL 27 video game, a rating that has never before been given in the franchise.
- McDavid posted 48 goals and 138 points in 2025/26 but did not win the Hart Trophy and the Oilers were eliminated in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks.
- McDavid begins a two-year contract extension this season, creating a limited timeframe for Edmonton to convert recent playoff runs into its first Stanley Cup since 1990.
- The Oilers added goaltender Frederik Andersen and defenseman Ryan Shea and brought in goalie Devon Levi during the offseason to bolster depth and address weaknesses exposed in the prior postseason.
- Commentators and fans are noting that failure to reach a deep playoff run over the next two seasons could fuel speculation about McDavid's long-term future in Edmonton, though those outcomes remain uncertain.