NHL analyst Jason Gregor has pushed back hard against renewed speculation linking Connor McDavid with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The debate followed comments from Michael Augello, who shared an unnamed reporter’s theory on The Leafs Convo podcast.
Augello said McDavid could want Toronto if the Maple Leafs build a strong team and pay him.
“I was told by another reporter, that’s just his theory,” Augello said. He added that the theory was simple: “McDavid wants to play in Toronto, it’s just the question what type of team the Leafs are.”
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Gregor dismissed the premise and questioned why McDavid would leave an established contender. “People have been talking about Connor McDavid going to Toronto for 10 freaking years,” Gregor said. “It’s no closer today than it was 10 years ago. I would argue it’s probably farther away.”
His strongest criticism centered on the source. “Another reporter told me. That’s not a source,” Gregor said. He also urged Oilers fans to stop treating speculation as meaningful reporting.
Connor McDavid’s contract keeps the debate alive
The situation still carries some legitimate context because McDavid signed only a two-year extension with Edmonton. The $25 million contract carries a $12.5 million annual value and runs through 2027-28.
That structure makes 2028 the key date, but it does not make Toronto the destination. McDavid remains committed to Edmonton for the next two seasons, while the Oilers are reshaping their roster around another Stanley Cup push.
If we look from the perspective of McDavid having a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup, it supports Gregor’s argument. Edmonton still has McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and a roster built specifically around championship contention, while Toronto must prove its own structure can support a deep playoff run.
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McDavid’s recent comments also show that winning remains central to his thinking.
“I do see a path, but it’s going to take everybody to be better,” McDavid said in May this year. “It’s weird to talk about development for veterans, but us veterans need to find a way to get better and develop and everybody does, because that’s the only way it’s going to change.”
So, until the Oilers fail to meet that standard again, Toronto speculation remains a theory rather than a developing transaction.
