Penguins Connected as Potential Connor McDavid Suitor

Pittsburgh’s Penguins have undergone an overall NHL 2024-25 season. When everything was said and done, they finished the year with a file of 34-36-12.

Obviously, this is not where the Penguins wanted to be at the Eastern Conference. In fact, they were the second team of the conference, ahead of the Philadelphia flyers.

In order to return to the Stanley Cup competition, Pittsburgh will have to become aggressive. There would be no better way to become aggressive than by pursuing an elite superstar like Connor McDavid. But could it really be an option?

Upon entering the NHL season 2025-26, McDavid will head for the last year of his contract with the Edmonton Oilers. He helped lead the Oilers to consecutive appearances of the Stanley Cup, but failed in both.

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That said, the Penguins have been named potential contenders for McDavid if he reached the next NHL next season.

Bleacher report analyst Adam Gretz appointed Pittsburgh as a team to monitor McDavid. He also explained his reasoning to name the Penguins as a possible pretender.

“Imagine Crosby and McDavid in the same team for a few years before McDavid took the torch and inaugurates a new chapter for the Penguins,” wrote Gretz. “Penguins winning the Gavin McKenna lottery and having played it in this way is the most likely scenario, and he would follow the way the Penguins have acquired their previous collection of superstars, but this idea would also be fun.”

Apart from Pittsburgh, Gretz listed six other teams as McDavid landing points.

Recently, McDavid spoke of his future with Edmonton. He is obviously interested in staying with the team, but he was not ready to get started fully.

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“Winning would be at the top of the list,” said McDavid. “Winning is the most important thing. If I think there is a good window to win here, again and again, then the signature is not a problem … I am not in a hurry to make a decision. So, I do not think there must be a chronology. I know that people will look at this July 1 and seek to see if there is something for me, I am not in the rush to this way.”

McDavid will be a hot product if it arrives on the market. Oilers will do everything in their power to keep it in town, but it is not a guarantee at this stage.

If it becomes available, Penguins may well be a potential competitor to sign it.

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