TALKING POINTS: Bowman speaks on the opening day of Main Camp

General Manager & Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Stan Bowman spoke to the media from the Hall of Fame Room at Rogers Place on Wednesday to begin Oilers Main Camp.

The executive touched on several topics, including the status of contract negotiations with Connor McDavid, the competition for roster spots among young players like Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie, the composition of Edmonton's blueline for this coming season, and more.

Read the entire transcript and watch the media availability in its entirety below:

Bowman on the ongoing discussions with Connor McDavid about negotiating a new contract:

“I think the conversations with Connor are [less of] a sales pitch and more just dialogue when he has questions. I don't want to get into what we talk about, but I think it's just more free-flowing conversations. I've gotten to know him now. I've been here for a year and I feel like we can just sit down and talk hockey or talk about things that are on his mind; things about the current team or the future team. I've done that not just recently, but also throughout last season."

“I find he's got a real good pulse on the team as well. As the leader and the captain, I think he has thoughts on things, and I want to understand that so we can work together on it. I would say it's not so much a sales pitch as it is just a conversation, and it goes in a bunch of different directions.”

Bowman on if discussions with McDavid are more about next year’s team and the future rather than this year’s team and the short term:

“Well, it's a blend of that. I would say he does ask me about where I envision things going, so that's a part of it. We talk about this year too, and we talk about what we did well last year and what we think we could change or should change. I would say it's not limited to just one thing, but it does definitely touch on the future.”

Bowman on if he has an update on Zach Hyman’s injury status entering Main Camp:

“No, I don't. I think we're doing the medicals and stuff today. I'm sure we'll get an announcement out at some point, but I know he's doing well in his rehab. As far as his timeline, though, I don't have that yet.”

Bowman on his confidence in getting McDavid signed to a new contract:

“I just go by what Connor says, which is that he wants nothing more than to win in Edmonton. So I take him at his word, and he's going through his own process. I think you have to understand that and respect it, and I do. When he's ready, he'll be ready, so I realize that's on everyone's mind, and the media and the fans, and it's on our mind too. But it's one of those things where we've had multiple conversations and he's been very consistent with what he's been saying to the media as well as me, so we just go with it from there.”

Bowman on whether the projected increase to the salary cap in the coming season presents a challenge for signing McDavid to a long-term contract:

“When I talk to Connor, I've never gotten the impression that he's really focused on money. That’s just not so. It may be, but I'm just saying, when I talk to him, I just don't get that impression. He's all about winning. He never talks about ‘I need to make this much money’. The cap is going up, which I think is great for our league. It shows that the league is healthy and the revenues are growing, and when that happens, salaries escalate. How that exactly relates to Connor, he would be in a better position to answer that one than I. But I think it's obviously better than the cap flatlining or going down.”

Bowman on if the McDavid contract needs to be sorted out before deals can be made for Jake Walman and Mattias Ekholm, who are also going into the last year of their contracts:

“No, I think we have had sort of preliminary discussions with a bunch of people who are going into their last year, not just the two you named. But there are other players as well. I'm not sure if we'll wrap up all those details in the next little while or if it'll spill into the season, or if we'll wait until next year. But we have several players entering the final year of their contracts with whom we've already engaged with their agents and had positive conversations. Nothing to report as being near the end, but a lot of encouraging discussions, so I don't think one is related to the other.”

Bowman on Hyman’s ability to get back up to speed before the regular season at 33 years old, and not being ready to participate in the first on-ice sessions of Main Camp:

“He's not going to miss much time if he misses any, so I'm not worried about Zach Hyman. If he doesn't skate for a day or two, that doesn't matter. Like you said, he's a vet, he's a pro. We saw last year how valuable he was, and he's going to be a big player for us this year."

Bowman on working with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch to experiment with the lineup and how to best deploy players like David Tomasek and Trent Frederic, who can both play centre and wing:

“That's something we've talked a lot about in the last few days leading into going on the ice tomorrow. I think we want to give a few different looks and see how it goes. I think David Tomasek has been a very good centre, and he can play wing. I think he's probably more of a natural centre, and he's a righty, which we don't have a lot of those. We got Lazar, Philp, and Tomasek, who are the three centres that shoot right, so we didn't really have that element last year. Derek Ryan didn't play a big role, so we had all lefties."

"David has looked very good in the captain’s skates, in which I try not to put too much positive or negative in that, but I think it does stand out when you watch him. He can shoot the puck. I'm not surprised that he led the Swedish League in goalscoring. He's got a knack for getting open. He's got the ability to get the puck off his stick quickly and in the net, so I think that's an intriguing option for us. But then the other side of it is that he's got that offensive flair. He could be a good winger for one of the top centres too, so I think we are going to see how that looks over the next two weeks here."

"And it’s not just him, like you said. Nuge has played a lot of centre, but also a lot of wing lately. I think he's probably able to do both, but I think we like him in the middle, and I think we're definitely going to try him there. Not that we need to try him out. It's not that he can't play centre. It's more about how the wingers match with other centres, so that's what the next two weeks are really going to be about for me and for our coaches: to see how the pieces come together.”

Bowman on Jake Walman and Darnell Nurse likely being one of their top two defensive pairings alongside Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard:

“I think that's pretty likely to be the case. I think in talking to Jake at the end of last year about playing right or left – because we have just the three righties in Emberson, Stecher and Bouch, the guys who play a lot of the minutes – we're trying to find out who's the best partner for Darnell."

“Last year, Stech did a very good job at that, so I'm not overlooking that. But Jake indicated that he loves to play left or right. He just prefers to sort of stay wherever he is. So, if he's going to play on the right, he'd probably rather stay there to get more acclimated. But the way that Jake moves around in the offensive zone with the puck, and he's got a really good one timer, it's nice to have him on the offside as a threat. So I think there's a good chance that he and Darnell will be together.”

Bowman on keeping Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard as Edmonton’s goaltending tandem this season:

“I think that's just part of the game, though. I think maybe [the position] gets more attention because there are only two goalies on a team, as opposed to us trying to improve our team. You could make the same argument when you bring a new defenceman in. I suppose the difference is that many defensemen play at the same time, while only one goalie plays. I don't think that's an issue. At least in my conversations with Stu, he hasn't mentioned that, and I just really like his attitude coming in. I think he trained hard this summer, and he looks to have a refreshed approach to the year with a new goalie coach. He and Peter [Aubry] really seem to have formed a bond together. They spent a lot of time together this summer just talking hockey, and there's a great vibe around that right now."

"I think that was something I thought about. He's a talented goalie, and when he's at his best, he's really good. So if we can get the consistency in Stu's game, I think maybe sometimes a different voice could help tap into that. I think the early returns are very positive. We haven't even skated yet in training camp, though, so we'll see where it goes. But I'm optimistic. This is a new year. I don't want to live in the past. And then Picks had a great season last year. He’s an ultimate competitor who wins big games for us, so we're always monitoring it. The goaltending position is no different than the forwards. We're on the lookout. If there's an ability to upgrade on that, we'll do it. But I think the focus right now is to take a bit of a different approach heading in and see if we can capture more consistency."

Bowman on what he’d say to fans about the emotions of dealing with a high-level contract negotiation like McDavid:

“It's hard. I get it. I understand that there's a lot of anxiety, whatever the word is, anxiousness, and I trust what Connor says. At the end of the day, when Connor says there's nothing that he wants more than to win in Edmonton, I believe him. I don't know why anyone else wouldn't. He's been consistent in saying that, and I love hearing it when he says that his singular focus is to win in Edmonton. So for me, I take it at face value, and I have no reason to question him."

“I understand why he wants to go through it. Whenever you're making a big decision, it has to feel right. And whenever that moment comes – maybe it's going to be two days from now or three days from now or two weeks from now – then he'll be ready. I think that until that happens, my asking him that or saying anything won't make a difference. It's up to Connor, and I understand.”

Bowman on Howard and Savoie being near locks to make the team coming out of Main Camp & injecting some youth into the lineup this season:

“That's a good question. I haven't really looked at it like that. I guess we've been talking over the last year about the desire to bring some younger players in and bring some speed and enthusiasm to our lineup, and I think both Savoie and Howard have those attributes to their game. So I would say that we're hopeful they'll come in and have a good camp. I think it depends on how you look at it. I'm looking at it with an optimistic lens, saying that I think they're going to bring an element that we need on our team, and I think we want some of that. And you have to be willing to work with younger players to give them a little bit of latitude."

"I think this is probably where we're at with those two, so it's not a definitive answer, but I think I'm looking at it more optimistically, thinking that they're going to [make the team]. The expectations will be high for both of them, but we're going to try to work with that and recognize that the players they are in October won’t be the same players they are in March. I think you have to allow for some progression over the season, and as long as they're bringing the effort, I think our coaches are excited to work with both of them.”

Bowman on whether he considered signing free agent goalie Carter Hart to a contract:

“Right now, we're not looking at those types of situations. Like I referenced earlier to Mark [Spector], I like where Stu's at, the way he trained and his outlook coming into the year. So I think we're going to go forward with that.”

Bowman on his observations of the team’s ability to turn the page from last year’s second straight loss in the Stanley Cup Final:

“I agree with you. I think it's a little different. I think we have a different staff, too. There's a lot of newness to our group. We have a new goalie coach, a new skills coach, a new assistant coach, and we have some new players and younger players coming in. So I think that that combination of factors has made it [easier]. I don't know if that's why it's been that way, I don't know if the players instinctively feel differently because of that, but I think that plays a role."

"This really is much different from what it was a year ago. A year ago, it was more just trying to go back and do the same thing. We're so close now. We have a lot of new players and new coaches. We've a somewhat different outlook on things. I do believe I've said this a few times, but change is good, and I think bringing some new ideas to the table, that's not disparaging the people that were here before. I think that when you have the same group for such a long time, you sometimes become too close to it and bring in some new voices from outside, so they're not biased by anything. They're just coming in fresh, so I think we'll see that. Even with the way we utilize our special teams, I think we'll see some different tactical looks, but we won't be a significantly different team. However, I do think we'll play some things differently. Which then, as a player, you feel like, ‘Well, this is different,’ and you're focused more on where we're headed, not where we came from.”

Bowman on what he needs to see from young players in Savoie and Howard to show they’re ready to play in the NHL:

“Well, on the one hand, I agree it's hard, but on the other hand, I actually think it's good to have some youthful enthusiasm. Because I've referenced this before, they haven't played. I mean, Savoie’s played a couple of games in the NHL, but like every new building he goes to is like a new experience. He's like just excited to go play a road game in Calgary. He's never been there before and played for the Oilers, so it’s the same thing with Ike. He's never played in any NHL building."

“I think some of that youthful enthusiasm can be contagious to our group. It's a tough year. It's a grind getting through the 82 games. For our team, it may just be a random Tuesday night in November, but for them, they're excited. This is their big moment. They get to play in Madison Square Garden right off the hop, so I think that I've seen it with other teams. The other guys, not that you get jaded, but when you've been in the league for 10 or 15 years, it's not the same level of excitement as when you first started. So I think, ‘What can they do on the ice?’ I think they both bring a lot of flair to the game. Offensively, they are dangerous players with the puck, and they make things happen. They can bring you out of your seat. They're guys that are going to be contributing offensively to our team, so I think that's where we'll see it. And of course, there's going to be a learning curve because they're playing against much better players now than they were in the American League or in the NCAA, so everything that they were able to do last year will be harder. But the flip side is they're going to be playing with much better players than they were playing with."

“So where does that net out? I guess we'll have to wait and see. I tell these young players that their effort and attitude are the aspects they can truly control. Execution, at the end of the day, you want them to execute, but as long as they bring the effort and the determination, which I think both of them will, then I think the coaches can live with the growing pains.”

Bowman on giving Trent Frederic an eight-year deal after he was traded for at the Deadline while injured before playing in the playoffs:

“That was really a factor of seeing the overall picture of what Freddie brings to the table. So he's a younger free agent, 27 years old, with the ability to play multiple positions and the type of player that he is. If you look around the league, they're in pretty short supply. So, as a result, that plays into when you're negotiating with them."

"If we had chosen not to pursue Freddie or if we couldn't get a deal done, it's not like there were 10 other guys that are pretty equivalent players. ‘We'll just get one of them instead.’ So I think he's got a unique skill set that's in short supply. When that's the case, you have to look at what your options are. You're always looking at, ‘Well, what if we don't sign him?’ We didn't have to sign him, but we felt that it made sense based also on his character. He's a very important guy to the fabric of our team, and in a short amount of time, he brings an element that we don't have a lot of. I think he brings an element that's important to winning, which is that competitive intimidation factor. On top of that, he can play centre or wing, and he's comfortable moving around the lineup. So I'm expecting good things out of him now that he's feeling much better.”

Bowman on signing more European and prospect free agents to fill out the AHL and ECHL levels with fewer draft picks made in previous seasons:

“It's not just European players. I think it's free agent players. But there are a lot of different ways to do it in the NHL. I think some teams are focused all on draft picks, and there's nothing wrong with that strategy. But where we are in our evolution as a team, those guys aren't going to help you for a couple of years. So it's a trade-off. We're bringing guys in that can help us right away. So, how do you backfill it so that you still have players that are growing in their development? That's the approach that I think makes the most sense right now. Maybe it won't always be that way, but for now, with what we want to do and with our player development group having really taken a bigger role, it's important to get the talent from wherever we can, whatever age they are, and then seeing if they in a year or two can become the players we want them to be.”

Bowman on Alec Regula being picked up off waivers last year by the Oilers from the Bruins and what he expects from the defenceman:

“Yeah, I mean, I had traded for Alec when I was in Chicago. So I'm familiar with his talent. It's probably more based on potential. I think he's only played over 20 games in the NHL, so it's a very small sample. But we think developmentally, he's got a lot of likable characteristics. He's only 25, and it was unfortunate that he had to work through that injury last year, but he's feeling great right now. He's a big right-hand defenceman with some skill, and he can play the game a couple of different ways, whether it's the penalty kill or power play. He kind of has some versatility there, so I think he's someone we need to get back playing, so we need to watch him grow. But I think optimistically, he's got a chance. When he gets his game back after being out for a bit, I think he'll be a useful player for us."