This morning on Sportsnet Fan590, The Athletic’s Justin Bourne was asked regarding the future of Oilers captain Connor McDavid by host Greg Brady,
“Do you believe there’s a semblance of a chance that Connor McDavid will privately asked to be traded this summer?”
Check out the whole audio clip at the bottom of this post.
Aren’t the Maple Leafs getting ready for their first-round series with the Boston Bruins? I mean, why is the media in Toronto so concerned with what’s happening in Edmonton?
Here’s Bourne’s response,
“You know he wants to.”
Really? Do we all know that Connor McDavid, the guy who’s just about to wrap up the first year of his eight-year $100 million dollar contract, wants out?
It’s interesting that these media types all have no issues saying McDavid wants out while at the same time showing complete disregard for his character. Is 97 angry that he’s only had one post-season showing in four years? Of course he is and he’s got every right to be pissed off but why isn’t Toronto asking about Sasha Barkov wanting out in FLA or Jack Eichel in BUF. It’s not as if their teams are qualifying for the playoffs annually…
Does it have everything to do with where Connor might be from and this never-ending dream to have him come home and create the greatest hockey dynasty known to man? Good luck…
I mean all the while indirectly pissing all over the guys they do have…
More from Bourne,
“I do get the sense that he wants that (a trade out of Edmonton). The biggest tell to me was in the interview where he said he was frustrated.”
So Bourne gets the sense that McDavid wants away from the Oilers because Connor said he was frustrated? Are you f*cking kidding me? What a stupid thing to say publicly. I would hope that Connor gives Mr. Bourne a phone call and sets him straight about saying such things.
I now have to wonder if Bourne was one of those guys who said McDavid was upset at the Oilers winning the draft lottery by the look on his face after it was announced…
This is such a brutal take and Bourne is gonna get flamed for it. Deservedly so.
Later on he doubles-down,
“I’m sure he wants to get the hell out of there but there’s not really a way to do it without creating some LeBron James-type firestorm with The Decision.
I would love to see it. It would be great theatre wouldn’t it?“
Ah… There’s the kicker. Hockey in the center of the universe isn’t entertaining enough, so let’s hope for a McDavid trade demand…
Now you can pretty much bank that Bourne has been talking out of his ass the whole time.
Naturally, this leads into what the Oilers would want in a McDavid trade… The Hilarity continues with this beauty from co-host Ashley Docking…
“I think that if he were on any other team he would be looked upon unfavourably on him to a certain extent but just because Edmonton has been struggling for so long, I think that it’s not that big of a deal. I think that it’s expected.
I don’t think it’ll look bad on him if he wants to leave.”
Oh, so he gets a pass because he’s in Edmonton? This is how they justify shitting all over McDavid’s character. Do I drink the bleach now or wait?
Can anybody tell me why Auston Matthews only signed a 5-yr deal in Toronto? I mean a player of his caliber surely would be expected to go max deal to stay in the best hockey market in the world, right? How would it look on him if he decided after four years and no Cups in Toronto, he asked out? Would he get a pass from Docking as well?
Also, when’s the last time a player of this caliber asked for a trade? Eric Lindros? How’d that work out for him? How’d it work out for the Nordiques?
The Oilers wouldn’t have the stomach with a new coach and a new GM to say, “Sit at home and call us when-” I can almost see Buffalo doing that to Eichel if he said so because of their commitment to him but Edmonton is not making Connor McDavid sit at home and wait for a trade, they’ll facilitate it.”
Greg Brady is a pretty confident guy here. As dumb as it sounds, let’s say this scenario plays out. As if the GM wouldn’t hold out for the best deal possible and if that meant Connor was practicing with the Marlies and going over video with Justin Bourne until the adequate return was found, I could definitely see that happening more than Brady’s little wet dream.
Also, what’s with the shot at Buffalo and Jack Eichel?….
More gold from Bourne,
“Man, all I know is that I really want this to happen but what’s enough (in a return for McDavid)?”
Nothing is enough and in a cap world, enough would never happen. Teams can’t just make deals and get the kind of return that Gretzky got the Oilers and Lindros for the Nords.
Does anybody reckon Brady, Docking, and Bourne just got together in the morning and hashed this all out before going live?
“Let’s get the Oilers fanbase really going this morning. We’ll talk about McDavid wanting out and speculate on some trade returns. It’ll be fun! Don’t worry about the blowback from Connor or his agent, we’ll sort that out later.”
Bourne ended with this nugget of wisdom,
“I understand his frustration. There doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.”
As I said earlier, McDavid should feel frustrated. Leon and himself tried to pull this team into the playoffs but fell short. Those two players ARE the light at the end of the tunnel though. They are the ones that will lead this team to greatness and we’ll look back at quotes like the ones above and laugh that hockey analysts actually had the gall to say something like that.
I’d be really interested to know what the Eastern media had to say about Gretzky during the ’80s. I imagine it might not sound too different.
I’ve made it sound like I dislike Justin Bourne but that’s not the case at all. I really enjoy his analysis and the content he puts up at The Athletic. He’s simply touched a nerve today. #triggered
"I do get the sense that he wants that. The biggest tell to me was in the interview where he said he was frustrated…it was like he was done pretending." @jtbourne on why he thinks Connor McDavid wants to leave the #Oilers @gregbradyTO @smrtash.
🎧: https://t.co/DHz346exqW pic.twitter.com/HXDATWeqkm
— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) April 4, 2019
