Connor McDavid’s Next Move in Doubt as Wife Lauren Kyle’s 2026 Olympic Venture Takes Over Edmonton
Edmonton, AB – July 4, 2025 — As the summer sun casts long shadows over Rogers Place, the future of Edmonton’s golden boy, Connor McDavid, has never felt more uncertain. The Oilers’ captain is coming off another heart-wrenching Stanley Cup Final loss, and as the city catches its collective breath, speculation is swirling around whether McDavid will remain in Edmonton much longer.
But in a surprising twist, it’s not trade rumors or free agency that are dominating headlines — it’s his wife, Lauren Kyle McDavid.
Lauren, the renowned interior designer and newly crowned lifestyle mogul, has sent shockwaves through the city with the announcement of her most ambitious project yet: a design-forward Olympic Village-inspired complex slated to open in Edmonton ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Dubbed “The Summit”, the project is already being hailed as a transformational initiative for Alberta’s capital — and one that may shift the balance of attention and influence within the McDavid household.
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From Designer to Visionary Developer
Lauren Kyle has been making bold moves since launching her Edmonton-based design studio, Kyle & Co., earlier this summer. What began as an upscale lifestyle boutique and interior design firm has now evolved into something far bigger — a multimillion-dollar urban development project that fuses high design, sports, and community.
The Summit, her brainchild, will be a mixed-use complex encompassing luxury residential units, wellness facilities, athlete training centers, co-working lounges, and a design market showcasing Canadian-made products. Located just north of downtown near the ICE District, the development is inspired by Olympic Villages around the world, blending modern architecture with wellness-driven living — and it’s directly tied to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
Although Canada is not hosting the Olympics, Kyle’s vision is to create a space that celebrates Canadian athletic excellence, while offering athletes and the public a venue to connect, train, and live in harmony. The project has secured private and public investment and is expected to break ground in fall 2025, with a planned completion date just weeks ahead of the Olympics in February 2026.
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The Shift at Home — and On Ice
While Lauren’s empire is expanding, questions are mounting about what this means for Connor McDavid — both personally and professionally.
McDavid, who turns 29 next year, has never publicly expressed a desire to leave Edmonton. He remains under contract through the 2026-27 NHL season. But after yet another postseason disappointment and with little clarity from Oilers management about the team’s future direction, NHL insiders are speculating that a trade or early exit could be on the horizon.
Adding fuel to the speculation is Connor’s noticeable absence from some of Lauren’s recent promotional events. While he attended the official Kyle & Co. launch in June, he’s kept a low profile since then — skipping both the Summit press conference and a VIP Olympic-themed gala held at the Art Gallery of Alberta last weekend.
According to sources close to the couple, the McDavids remain united, but their priorities are naturally evolving. “Connor’s been in a reflective headspace since the Cup Final loss,” one