Victoria Matiash traces the current wave of NHL player movement back to a single moment in 2022, when one star told his general manager exactly what he wasn’t willing to wait for anymore. She explains why that conversation reshaped how players negotiate across the entire league.
That shift has left Edmonton facing serious pressure this season, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both running out of patience after falling short in back-to-back finals. Victoria explains why this year carries more weight than any before it.
She also challenges the easy explanation that tax-free American cities are simply winning the recruitment battle, using an example that doesn’t fit that theory at all.
Topics: Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid, NHL player movement, Matthew Tkachuk, hockey taxes
GUEST: Victoria Matiash | @victoriamatiash
Originally aired on2026-09-03
