In a move that shocked the hockey world and left fans wondering, “Is this a joke?”, it is now official: Connor McDavid is joining the NAIT Ooks men’s hockey team for the 2026/27 season.
The NHL superstar made the announcement Friday morning at a press conference held in front of a recently “renovated” student lounge in the T-building featuring marble floors, leather seating and a sign that said: “Room reserved for Connor McDavid only.”
Both NAIT and McDavid denied that the lounge was reserved specifically for McDavid, even though he entered after the press conference ended, with a security guard standing beside the door as he began connecting his phone to the Bluetooth speakers to play “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan.
The decision for the three-time league MVP to join a collegiate hockey team follows what NAIT officials described as “recent eligibility adjustments,” though details surrounding the changes remain unclear.
McDavid, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, stated he is “excited for a new challenge” and is looking forward to “scoring 10-20 points a game” to lead the Ooks back to a conference championship.
“I just felt like I needed to push myself by beating a bunch of 20-some-year olds who are trying to get an education,” McDavid said. “It’s been a dream of mine to experience college life, and to finally have the chance to play for the Ooks is something I’ve been working towards since I first got drafted into the NHL.”
In addition to joining the men’s hockey team, McDavid confirmed he will be enrolling in NAIT’s Culinary Arts program with a specialization in pre-game pasta.
“I’ve always been passionate about learning how to properly make my pre-game pastas,” he said. “It’s something I can fall back on if hockey doesn’t work out … or make a few extra bucks to give the Oilers more cap space to sign a better goalie and win a cup.”
NAIT’s head coach praised the acquisition, emphasizing McDavid’s character over his on-ice résumé. “We just liked his work ethic,” the coach said. “He’s a guy who comes in, keeps his head down, and does the little things right.”
Current Ooks players appeared unfazed by the announcement. “Yeah, I think I’ve heard of him,” one teammate said. “Didn’t he play junior somewhere?”
In unrelated news, NAIT officials have acknowledged a minor discrepancy of approximately $12 million in the institution’s annual budget. Administrators have assured staff and students that the issue is “not a big deal.”
When asked whether the budget discrepancy was connected to McDavid’s arrival, NAIT representatives reiterated that the two matters are “completely unrelated.”
“We treat all students equally,” a spokesperson said, adding that both the institution and McDavid have said that no special treatment will be given.
McDavid confirmed he is “just another student” and expects to be treated the same as everyone else, aside from what he described as “a few minor accommodations related to ice time, general on-ice production, study areas and private doodle grooming by the Veterinary Technology program.”
“Lenny and I are really enjoying the student study area. I can see the whole city from the eighth floor, and for some reason I don’t ever see any students in this building, so it’s nice and quiet,” said McDavid, who claimed he’s only ever seen the Ook using the area.
“Sometimes, the executives even deliver meals to me. Must be a perk of the Culinary Arts program,” he shrugged.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the Nugget’s April 2026 print issue. Read it online here.
Feature image by the Nugget and definitely not a CIBC commercial
