It is that time of year again, with speculation surrounding Connor McDavid's future with the Edmonton Oilers and the everlasting rumours that he eventually wants to play for his boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now, the latest one is from Michael Augello of the Hockey News, who covers the Buffalo Sabres but is also a Maple Leafs reporter. Where he said that he heard in the Maple Leafs' press box that McDavid does one day hope to play in Toronto. Which predictability has sparked a ton of conversation on social media throughout Toronto and Edmonton's fanbases.
McDavid reportedly has a desire to play in Toronto
Augello has been known for his Maple Leafs takes as well as his coverage of the Toronto Marlies. So, to hear him say this carries a bit of weight. Obviously, he isn't the top Maple Leafs beat writer, but he is considered to be in the "know" when it comes to what is being said throughout the press box.
Here is the full quote that he said regarding McDavid's future.
"I was told by another reporter that's just his theory & I won't share his name, but you know talking in the press box about McDavid and he said, 'McDavid wants to play in Toronto; it's just the question of what type of team the Leafs are' [...] If the Leafs are good, their chances of getting McDavid are good because I think he would want to play in Toronto if they pay him. If they are not good, there's not a chance."Augello
As Augello points out, the question is what type of team the Maple Leafs will be. If he were to join Toronto after his two-year contract is done. There is a chance that Auston Matthews' contract expires at the same time, and he could opt to sign elsewhere. However, if he were to re-sign, the Maple Leafs would have Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, John Tavares and Gavin McKenna all signed. So adding McDavid to the mix would make them a significantly better team.
That said, having those players signed plus Darren Raddysh and others locked up, it would likely increase the chances of McDavid jumping ship and joining his childhood team, the Maple Leafs. And it might be the most obvious statement someone could make in Toronto, but having the most talented player this century to come back home would be a massive deal. McDavid would have an undying fire to actually win a Stanley Cup in Toronto and be even further enshrined as one of hockey's best players ever, and now there seems like an actual chance it could happen, if we were to believe.
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