Connor McDavid is in Montreal this week, and his wife Lauren Kyle quietly confirmed it on Instagram Monday with a story that’s now lighting up every hockey corner of the city.
The captain of the Oilers is in town for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is the main reason for his visit. However, fans in Montreal are starting to think about other reasons for his presence.
Kyle made it clear in her post. She talked about a canceled flight, a long 17-hour trip, taking another flight, a six-hour drive, and then finally arriving in Montreal.
She wrote it like she was keeping a travel log. Fans on Twitter are reading a lot into it.
Earlier this week, Maxime Truman shared that McDavid was coming to Montreal for the Formula 1 weekend. Lauren’s post just confirmed it.
And the visual signs? They are strong. McDavid is walking around a city that loves hockey while his own team, the Oilers, has already started their summer break.
What McDavid finds in Montreal that’s missing in Edmonton
The Oilers ended the season in 14th place with a record of 41 wins, 30 losses, and 11 overtime losses. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Anaheim, losing that series 4-2 after starting the games at home.
McDavid has a salary cap hit of $12.5 million and scored 138 points in 82 games. He is the fourth-highest paid player in the league. The Oilers are still trying to win a championship that keeps slipping away from them.
His playoff experience lasted just six games, where he scored one goal and had five assists with a -8 rating. This is not how anyone in Edmonton wanted it to go.
On the other hand, Montreal had a strong season with a record of 48 wins, 24 losses, and 10 overtime losses, totaling 106 points. It feels different there. The city has a different vibe, different pressure, but it’s a kind of pressure that brings excitement and relevance.
McDavid’s contract situation has been a hot topic in the NHL for several months. Every time he appears in public, people analyze it closely. This time will be no exception.
Strolling around Montreal in late May, a place where hockey talks are common in every café, is definitely significant. It’s like a test of the atmosphere, whether he wants it or not.
Does this have any meaning for July 1? Most likely not. The F1 is the F1. People attend regardless.
However, Lauren Kyle’s relaxed Instagram post did more than just show she’s visiting. It gave Montreal the kind of “what if” excitement that this area really enjoys.
And Edmonton supporters, seeing their captain walking through a competing city while their team is at home, probably don’t like what they see.
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