Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid is on a hot streak this season after an initial slow start. He recorded two assists Monday night to extend his point streak to 19 games. The Oilers earned a 4-1 road win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. The game came during the Oilers’ dads’ trip, and McDavid controlled play without forcing offense.
The 19-game streak is the longest of McDavid’s NHL career. It began on Dec. 4 and includes 19 goals and 25 assists. He now has 30 goals and 80 points in 46 games, and sits one point behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon.
McDavid’s father, Brian McDavid, shared his thoughts with Gene Principe of Sportsnet while watching his son play against the Hawks. Brian said he feels calm watching his son play, and the confidence comes from knowing Connor prepares the same way every night.
“I’m much more nervous when he is not on a streak than when he is on a streak,” Brain said. “So, no, not really nervous. I have a lot of confidence and faith that he’s gonna he plays great every night. So it’s gonna happen.”
Brian also mentioned that his son still sees room to improve, and called Connor a perfectionist who never feels finished.
“Well, it’s funny, I actually was texting him a couple of weeks ago when things were going really well, like they are now, and I just said to him, I said, you know, it’s that’s really saying something to say that you’re playing as well as you’ve ever played, if not better,” Brian said. “And he kind of responded, says, ‘Well, you know, I think there’s some things I can still do.’ So, I mean, ever the perfectionist, right?”
Brian added that Connor looks relaxed on the ice and said good health and confidence allow his game to flow.
“I just think he’s playing free like, you know, he feels good, physically, feels great,” Brian said. “And confidence is a huge thing, even for a player like him, you know, to be have the confidence, the confidence you can go out there and just sort of do your thing. And he can certainly do that.”
The Oilers Have Benefited From Connor McDavid’s Run Despite a Struggling Defense
The Oilers continue to benefit from McDavid’s form. They sit at 23-16-7 and rank second in the Pacific Division, comfortably in the playoff race for now. The team is averaging 3.39 goals per game, thanks to McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and other top contributors.
Against Chicago, Zach Hyman opened the scoring late in the first. Evan Bouchard scored twice, including an empty-netter, and Draisaitl added the final goal seconds later.
However, the Oilers’ defense needs a lot of attention as they are losing games because of it. They have lost three of their last six games and are allowing 3.26 goals per game. Still, their power play is running flawlessly, placing them at the top with 33.3% success rate.
For now, the offense is covering the defensive gaps, but they have to fix it to compete with other Stanley Cup contenders.
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