As the Edmonton Oilers entered into an elimination Game 4, captain Connor McDavid put on quite the show in Saturday’s 8-1 blowout victory. In a series that saw little offense before the Oilers stung the Florida Panthers for a touchdown and a two-point conversation, McDavid made quite the statement with a goal and three assists. These numbers entered him into the history books as he broke a record that had stood for 36 years.
McDavid is having one of the most prolific postseasons in decades. With his assist on Dylan Holloway‘s second goal of Game 4, McDavid broke Wayne Gretzky‘s record. In 22 games played, No. 97 has recorded a mind-boggling 32 assists, surpassing the record for most assists in a single postseason.
Prior to Saturday night, the record was set during the 1987-1988 playoffs, where hockey legend Gretzky logged 31 assists. While many thought that record would never be broken, it’s not surprising that McDavid would be the person to break it. He became the first person in over 30 years to record 100 assists in a single season.
McDavid Is Only Worried About One Thing… And It’s Not Gretzky’s Record
McDavid continues to live up to his ‘generational talent’ title. However, some have taken aim at this label, arguing that because McDavid has failed to the lead the Oilers to a Stanley Cup, he’s not yet generational. One writer out of Miami called McDavid, “Mc-Overrated”. The Oilers’ captain is working on changing the narrative, but his Oilers are in a serious hole. Another elimination game on Tuesday is another chance for him to prove that it’s not about record-breaking assist totals, unless those assists lead his team to winning the biggest prize in hockey.
McDavid has his Oilers in their first Stanley Cup final appearance since 2006 and while the first three games didn’t go their way, he put on a dominant show in an elimination game. Can he do it again on Tuesday? “We have to go to Florida, do a job and drag them back to Alberta,” he told the media after Game 4.
Ask McDavid and he’ll tell you the Gretzky record is great, but if the Oilers don’t win the Stanley Cup, those 30-some assists he finishes with will all be for nothing.
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