Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said Tuesday he's been "very encouraged" by the early talks he's held with Connor McDavid's agent, Judd Moldaver, on an extension. 

Bowman told Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer on CHED 880 Edmonton that the two sides have yet to deep dive on negotiations, honouring McDavid's ask to wait after the season came to an end. 

“I’ve had really good conversations with Judd since the season ended, and I’ve tried to give Connor his space, and I think that it’s important,” Bowman said. “You know, a lot of this is respecting the athlete and their timeline.

"So we haven’t had any of those types of detailed discussions yet, but we certainly will, and I think we’re very encouraged by all the conversations I’ve had to date. And when the time comes, the time comes.”

The superstar centre became eligible to sign an extension with the Oilers on July 1, but said in June he was feeling no rush to get a deal done. McDavid told reporters after the Oilers' season ended in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year that a commitment to winning was a paramount to where he would sign his next deal.

"Winning would be at the top of the list,” McDavid said on June 19. “It's the most important thing. If I feel that there's a good window to win here, over and over again, then signing is no problem.

"It's only been a couple of days. I'm sure we'll get into it over the course of the next couple of weeks, but I'm not in a rush to make any decision, so I don't think that there needs to be any timeline. I know people are going to look at that July 1 day and be looking to see if there's anything done. But for me, I'm just not in a rush that way." 

McDavid, 28, recorded 26 goals and 100 points in 67 games with the Oilers last season. He added seven goals and 33 points in 22 playoff games before his team was eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final by the Florida Panthers for the second straight year. 

The 6-foot-1 centre is entering the final season of an eight-year, $100 million contract with an annual cap hit of $12.5 million. He is eligible to hit unrestricted free agency next summer.

Bowman added Tuesday that he believes talks will heat up with McDavid in the near future. 

“I think that the one thing I’ve enjoyed in getting to know Connor is just his motivation and his leadership with our group,” said Bowman. “He’s such an amazing player, but we know that. But when you get a chance to see him and watch the way that he operates amongst the team that no one else gets to see.

“He’s a huge part of everything we do here, and so I don’t have a timeline update, but I do expect to have some conversations with them soon and. And hopefully get that wrapped up.”