‘Frustrated’ McDavid Gets On Defenseman at Oilers’ Practice

The scene at practice this morning for the Edmonton Oilers was a bit more intense than usual. There was no bag skate or one-on-one drills to tire the players out after a 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night, but there was an aura of frustration in the air.

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Stuart Skinner appeared to have a bit of a heated exchange with a forward or two. Then Connor McDavid had an obvious conversation with his defensemen, appearing to single out Evan Bouchard. This all came off the heels of Jake Walman and Trent Frederic seemingly annoyed with one another at the previous skate.

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug got footage of the exchange between McDavid and his guys.

Conversation starts a little tense and eventually sorted out – notable but normal stuff for a frustrated group. pic.twitter.com/76pdlmudQt

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) November 9, 2025

From the video, things didn’t get overly heated, but it seemed clear McDavid was giving it to his blueliners a bit, and Bouchard’s reaction was one of both defensive explanation and attempted comprehension.

Key For the Oilers Is To Keep Talking Through This Slump

McDavid was asked about the conversation following the skate and said getting back on the right page starts with talking. He noted, “I said it before, enough is enough here.” He took responsibility for being a leader and for the team not bringing enough energy, noting, “We’ve got to find a way to bring some of that into the game.”

He added:

“Everybody has more to bring, so you start seeing some of that in practice. It’s gotta translate into games. It’s normal to have conversations with guys about different things we’re seeing out there. The game has felt at times unorganized and out of sync, so the only way to work that stuff out is to be talking and communicating with your teammates, so you’re gonna start to see some of that.”

Head coach Kris Knoblauch admitted there is frustration on the ice and in the locker room, but he’s not overly worried because the guys are still talking. He noted:

“…a lot of communication — coaches sharing what they see but also players sharing with the coaching staff what they see and where they need a little more clarity, and what they’re doing when they’re on the ice. I think that’s a strong part of it, and then I like the enthusiasm on the ice. There wasn’t much talk, but I thought there was a lot of focus and everyone was working hard…”

He added, “I’ve seen teams that are struggling that give up hope, make it a little more difficult on themselves. But yeah, there’s frustration, but there is still that confidence.”

Knoblauch said he thinks guys have picked up and learned from their past mistakes. That’s not happening as much this season. It’s certainly not happening for Bouchard. “The standard hasn’t been held well enough, and now that we’ve played as many games as we have, that standard definitely has to be increased,” said the coach. “…the expectation is for everyone to be better and you know that starts with myself and holding guys accountable cuz things haven’t progressed like they have in previous years, where yeah we’ve gone through a poor stretch and things improved…”

McDavid has emphasized that communication has been a major issue for the Oilers, and his concern is that the team isn’t in sync. He said after practice that it starts with him as a leader, and if that means scolding teammates in practice and making sure the message is sinking in, that’s a positive sign. “Last night’s a great warning to the group about what happens when you’re not ready to roll.” He added, “You only figure that stuff out through talking and communication with your teammates.”

Frustration is a good thing when it comes from a place where teammates care and have faith in each other to be better. When there is apathy, that’s when things start to go off the rails.

The intensity and frustration on display Sunday weren’t about conflict — they were about engagement and accountability. This is exactly what a struggling team needs to start finding its rhythm again.

Next: Oilers Spent $30M on Physical Forward Who Says No One Will Fight Him