NHL insider Brian Lawton, a former player agent and general manager, has issued a stark warning for Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman: the club must be 'strikingly bold' this summer to retain the faith of superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who are obsessed with winning championships.
Players Exercising Power to Force Trades
Speaking on Oilers Now with host Bob Stauffer, Lawton explained that players across the NHL are increasingly leveraging their influence to force trades to winning teams. McDavid and Draisaitl, he argued, fall squarely into that category. 'They're not satisfied in their lives if they don't end up a champion,' Lawton said. 'That means a lot more pressure for organizations and GMs to be bold, to show their players they're trying to get things done.'
Lawton emphasized that for Edmonton, the need for bold action is urgent. 'The club needs to be strikingly bold, in my opinion, this year, to get things turned around to satisfy certainly two players that I would say fit into that category, that without winning — and I can say this fairly confidently — the Oilers two-star players would feel unsatisfied in life.'
Winning Matters More Than Money
Lawton pointed to McDavid's contract as evidence of his priorities. 'Connor is the best player in the world, hands down. That means he should be paid the most money. He isn't because he didn't want to be, because he understands the system that he's in, and winning means more than anything else in the world to him than money.'
The insider's comments underscore a growing trend in the NHL where elite players are prioritizing team success over financial gain, putting increased pressure on front offices to deliver competitive rosters.
My Take: A Pass-Fail Metric for Bowman
I count Lawton among the 'wise men of hockey' — commentators like Ray Ferraro, Kevin Bieksa, and Elliotte Friedman who provide coherent analysis of team and league direction. When Lawton speaks, I re-evaluate my own notions. In this case, I had hoped Bowman would make a big move, but I hadn't framed it as a pass-fail metric for his summer. Perhaps I should. Perhaps we all should.
As Lawton says, the Oilers need to put 'rocket fuel in the engine' by adding a top-drawer player. One sure way is to trade Darnell Nurse and his $9.25 million per year cap hit, freeing up money for a major acquisition. The timing could be immediate or later in the season when failing teams look to off-load talent. With many NHL teams making big moves now, the Oilers cannot afford to wait.
