As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Jake Walman, and the final evaluation is for captain Connor McDavid. McDavid had a down season by his standards. He registered 26 goals and 100 points in 67 games, his lowest point total since he had 97 in the 2019-20 season, but that campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so those numbers are skewed. If you take that season away, plus his injury-riddled rookie campaign where he registered 48 points in 45 games, last season was tied with 2016-17 for his lowest point total of his career. This was also his lowest goal-scoring season since his rookie year, and the first time he was under 30 goals since then. He finished second on the team in points, behind Leon Draisaitl, and sixth in the league.
McDavid Must Shoot the Puck More
McDavid’s lack of goal-scoring can be attributed to his inability to shoot the puck. The 28-year-old registered 196 shots last season, his fewest since that aforementioned rookie campaign. He scored 64 goals during the 2022-23 season and registered 352 shots. He shot the puck a ton and got rewarded for it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case last season. He has an underrated shot and a quick release, but doesn’t use it enough. His shot will allow more passing lanes to open up, giving the defence something else to think about, resulting in an offensive attack that makes the Oilers more dangerous.
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This was extremely evident on the power play. He scored nine power-play goals, but could’ve had way more. He passed up a lot of shot attempts, looking for the perfect play. As a result, the man advantage became extremely predictable. The Oilers’ captain continuously looked for the cross-seam pass for Draisaitl’s patented one-timer, even if that play wasn’t there. The defenders were expecting it and got sticks in the lanes. If No. 97 shoots the puck more, Edmonton’s power play becomes more lethal and unpredictable, especially in the playoffs.
McDavid’s Overall Grade
Despite his down season, he’s still McDavid, and the best player in the league. He has recorded eight 100-point seasons and joined the 1,000-point club on Nov. 14 against the Nashville Predators, becoming the fourth-fastest player to reach that milestone. He wasn’t his dominant self, but he still gets an A for his regular season, because another 100-point…
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