McDavid had 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) in 45 games as a rookie last season, when the Oilers did not have a captain. They had four alternate captains: forwards Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle, and defenseman Andrew Ference, the former captain.
"I think you see a lot of teams going toward not having a captain," Eberle told Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Thursday. "I'm a strong believer in guys that lead by example. I've played with Connor and he's an exceptional player and I think he'll be the future of hockey. It doesn't matter if he has [the captaincy], or I have it, you just want a collective group of leaders. I think we do in Edmonton.
"Ultimately, one day, I think [Connor] will be our leader."
Edmonton is one of seven NHL teams without a captain. The Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets also do not have one.