“Ah! Everyone panic, alarms sounding, people in Edmonton, Alberta, are nervous. Should they be?” asked NHL insider Frank Seravailli. The Daily Faceoff’s president of hockey content posed this question while discussing Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and his still unsigned contract extension. After all, with this contract expiring at the end of next season, the entire Oilers community is nervously waiting for McDavid to sign the extension.

After losing back-to-back finals against the Florida Panthers, Oilers fans became concerned their superstar might leave to try his luck with another team. The forward’s answer to the media’s question about signing on the dotted line only increased those concerns. “It’s only been a couple of days since the season ended; I’m going to take some time to regroup,” McDavid said, and it’s been radio silence since then.

However, Frank Seravalli believes the Oilers community doesn’t need to sit on the edge of their seats. “Should people be nervous? Well, my understanding is that numbers haven’t even been exchanged yet. They’re still kind of very early on in the process, and yet there doesn’t seem to be any hint of nerves or panic or fear from either the Edmonton Oilers side, as best as I can tell, and also the McDavid’s side,” the insider said in a clip from B/R Open Ice.

The TSN contributor also explained that negotiations between the team and Connor McDavid will “ramp up” in the next week or two. “The minute that Conor McDavid picks his head up off the pillow and decides that he would like to have a contract extension done, that’s the day that it’ll happen,” Seravalli added. The insider’s statement lines up with what the Oilers GM said a few weeks ago.

“He’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his time… Timing-wise, Connor is going to drive that process,” GM Bob Bowman said in July. So it seems that the 28-year-old is firmly in the driving seat for his contract extension. And for now, he’s not really going pedal to the metal to secure a contract just yet.

Connor McDavid is having a good time

The ice hockey icon wasn’t kidding when he said he would like to take some time away from the grind. McDavid has stayed away from everything pro hockey-related since losing against the Panthers in a second straight Stanley Cup final. Frank Seravalli reminded fans that it is one of the biggest reasons why he hasn’t even sat down for the contract conversation.

“It’s been a very busy social summer for Conor McDavid,” Seravalli said about the 3x Hart Memorial Trophy winner. While you wouldn’t guess a thing looking at McDavid’s social media handles, his wife, Lauren Kyle, has made multiple posts about their trip to France. After all, Connor McDavid wouldn’t miss the wedding of his best man and teammate Leon Draisaitl.

“We all saw the videos of him on jet skis with Leon Dreisaitl,” the insider said. Kyle has posted several other highlights on Instagram—everything from the rehearsal to the actual ceremony throughout the past week. Among those photos and clips, you can spot the NHL star simply having a great time at Draisaitl and Celeste Desjardins’ wedding.

The pictures also give the impression of a man who isn’t thinking about jumping into contract negotiations. So, as per the insider, patience is the name of the game for fans who want to see where the contract negotiations between Connor McDavid and the Oilers lead. However, when it does happen, McDavid is projected to earn a record-breaking AAV.