Sharks' Macklin Celebrini getting set for confrontation with Connor McDavid in Edmonton, a week before they will be Olympic teammates

Speaking on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, Ryan Whitney suggested that McDavid could leave Edmonton once his current contract expires.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid has one goal as he prepares to don the Maple Leaf on Milano Cortina Olympic ice — to win gold.

McDavid and Celebrini will face each other for the first time this season when the Sharks visit the Oilers on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCA). The two will then be teammates for Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina in February.

The upcoming Olympics will be the first time since 2014 that NHL players will be allowed to have time on the ice. This means that there have been two cycles in McDavid's career where he was at his prime but just could not represent for Team Canada.

When Connor McDavid signed a two-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers right before the start of the 2025–26 season, the hockey world largely viewed it as a signal to the organization: if they didn’t win within that window,

With NHL players participating in the Olympics for the first time since 2014, this is McDavid's first chance to play for Team Canada in the Games.

Oilers' Connor McDavid joins legend in hockey history with latest goal in stellar NHL career originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Connor McDavid waited, and waited, and waited.