Ex-Maple Leafs player states Oilers' Connor McDavid would only leave for Toronto

Jon Conahan

Ex-Maple Leafs player states Oilers' Connor McDavid would only leave for Toronto image

Losing Connor McDavid would be a disaster for the Edmonton Oilers for many reasons. Not only would they be losing one of the best players in the NHL, if not the best of the past decade, but it's possible that he could end up with their biggest rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Some have suggested that if McDavid leaves the Oilers, the one team that makes the most sense is the Maple Leafs. Toronto will be looking for another star after losing Mitch Marner, so McDavid could be just that for its future.

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Some have questioned whether McDavid will leave, but if he does, there's only one team to watch out for. That includes Jay Rosehill, a former Maple Leafs player who suggested that if he does, the only team he'll leave for is Toronto.

“I think the chance of him leaving is small,” Rosehill said. “But if he does leave, I think Toronto is the only destination that he would go to.”

This would be one of the more surprising moves in NHL history, but it shouldn't be as surprising as it might sound. 

Sure, being arguably one of the greatest players to ever lace them up on the ice, and arguably the second greatest player in Oilers history, just to go to the Maple Leafs would be surprising, but McDavid has ties there, and could be intrigued by playing for a somewhat storied franchise. 

The Oilers are also that, but he might like Toronto more than Edmonton. 

With the direction of both organizations, who knows what he might think?

Jon Conahan

Jon Conahan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A 2022 Penn State University graduate who majored in journalism, he was also a member of the school's D1 baseball team. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Heavy and other outlets. Jon makes home in North Jersey, but also resides in Cape Coral, Florida, for parts of the year. He’s an avid fan of the New York Yankees, Miami Dolphins and Milwaukee Bucks.