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Anybody suggesting that Connor McDavid would be traded is a moron. Also Vegas wins that deal by an absolute landslide.... Such a joke

5 1st round picks or prospects equivalent to a 1st aren't a joke. More than that, McDavid is singlehandedly preventing the Oilers from rebuilding, which they need to do, because outside of Drai, McDavid, RNH, Klefbom and Larson the Oilers don't actually have any top 6 or top 4 caliber player. That's 5/10 spots filled.

If someone thinks the Oilers are going to be somehow get enough talent to compete with Nashville, Winnipeg, San Jose, and Calgary who realistically have 13-16/10, while not exceeding the cap, and constantly in the 7-10pick in the draft then that person is a moron. Currently the oilers have another 6 years of stagnating themselves into McDavid's free agency, at which point you are now six years down the road without having gotten anywhere, and now you lose an asset that could have netted 4-6 first round picks/prospects.

Oh and also two first round picks from a contender like Vegas is two late first round picks that will be somewhere between 25-31st overall is nothing. Cody Glass is a super talented kid but after that those guys are B level prospects. Not even close to "fair value"

Ok, so we can agree McDavid is singlehandedly keeping the Oilers in the Wildcard race. But McDavid or not, this team is not going to be competitive in any playoff matchup in the next couple years even if they made it. As for retooling and being ready to contend in a couple years, I would love to know your proposal. The Oilers have 5 players worth anything at all, maybe Nurse as a below average 2nd pairing guy, and god-awful contracts in Lucic, Sekeraj, Russell, Kassian, Manning, and Spooner expending in 2-6 years. You have 1 single blue-chip prospect in Bouchard, a couple B prospects, and an enigma in Poolparty.

Vegas is the only team that is contending for the cup AND has the cap space. If you want to tank the Oilers, which you should, you have limited options. Of course Vegas's picks will be in 23-31 range but that is how selling works. Ottawa is not going to want McDavid.

Even after getting rid of Lucic, the team is still left with some anchors for the next two years. In that time, assuming they sell Nuge, they will have 4 first round picks with two being lottery picks. Now you are ready to start rebuilding a la the Winnipeg, Toronto or Calgary blueprint.

Ironically, believing in a two-year retool was a belief of Chiarelli's, and for a guy who implies that he knows hockey, you sound fairly unintelligent and rambling.