Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid Is on Pace for Something Hockey Hasn’t Seen Since Wayne Gretzky
Connor McDavid is chasing the 200-point mark and threatening one of Wayne Gretzky’s legendary NHL records. NHL players think he can do it.
Connor McDavid is putting up video game numbers this season.
Even teammates are running out of ways to describe what they’re watching. Zach Hyman recently joked about McDavid’s production, and it’s hard to disagree. Through just 20 games, the Oilers captain has piled up 49 points while posting a staggering +25 rating.
He’s been the driving force behind Edmonton’s incredible start. The Oilers sit at 14-3-3, their best opening through 20 games since the dynasty era in 1984. At 29 years old, McDavid somehow appears to be taking his game to yet another level, and according to teammate Mattias Ekholm, there may be a reason for it.
Mattias Ekholm on McDavid’s Historic Start
Ekholm recently spoke with ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski about McDavid’s remarkable season. While admitting he didn’t think McDavid had another gear to reach, the veteran defenseman offered some insight into what may be fueling the surge:
“When you’re knocked out in the first round and you get punched in the nose a little bit, I think that can help with your mental space and your motivation. You reevaluate yourself in a bigger way when you lose in the first round than you maybe do in the finals, because you’re so close and you’re almost trying to find excuses as to why you didn’t go all the way. There are no excuses for losing in the first round. So it’s just different.”
Edmonton’s shocking first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks left a mark on everyone in the organization. After appearing in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, a quick playoff exit was simply unacceptable. It appears the disappointment served as motivation throughout the offseason.
There was another factor at play as well.
The rest Edmonton finally received this summer shouldn’t be overlooked. Over the previous three seasons, the Oilers had played more hockey than almost anyone in the NHL. The Olympic tournament last season added more high-intensity games. The year before that, the 4 Nations Face-Off did the same.
McDavid was also battling injuries during last year’s playoffs. For perhaps the first time in years, he entered a season refreshed, healthy, and fully recovered. The results are speaking for themselves.
NHL Players Believe 200 Points Is Possible
The obvious question everyone is asking now: Can McDavid actually reach 200 points?
As wild as it sounds, the conversation is becoming harder to dismiss.
Former Oilers forward Connor Brown, now with the New Jersey Devils, recently weighed in on the possibility. Having played with McDavid and known him for years, Brown wasn’t exactly shocked by the idea.
“I remember going to Edmonton a few years ago and I thought that was always in the cards.”
Meanwhile, Devils forward Luke Evangelista admitted even he has been stunned by McDavid’s pace.
“It seems so unrealistic, that number 200, but you look at what he’s done so far… if there’s anyone that’s going to do it, it’s him. He’s putting up video game numbers right now. Like it’s on ‘easy mode.’ I literally can’t believe the start that he’s had.”
When NHL players are openly talking about a 200-point season, you know something special is happening.
The Big Question
Can McDavid actually do it?
Reaching 200 points remains one of hockey’s most untouchable milestones. It has happened only four times in NHL history, and every one of those seasons belonged to Wayne Gretzky. His record of 215 points, set in 1985-86, still stands as one of the most incredible achievements in professional sports.
McDavid is currently tracking toward 206 points. Just one game earlier, that pace sat at 212. That’s how quickly things can change.
A brief slump could bring those projections crashing back to reality. At the same time, nothing about McDavid’s season feels normal. Leon Draisaitl is having another elite year. Evan Bouchard continues to produce from the back end. Edmonton’s top unit looks like a power play even at five-on-five, creating scoring chances almost every shift.
If this pace continues, McDavid has a legitimate chance to do something many believed would never happen again.
A 200-point season would instantly become one of the defining accomplishments of the modern NHL era. It would place him in territory that has belonged exclusively to Gretzky for more than four decades.
The fact we’re even having this conversation says everything.
The best player in the world may still be finding new ways to raise the bar, and if anyone can make the impossible look routine, it’s Connor McDavid.
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