McDavid’s Patience Being Tested as Oilers Keep Giving Away Leads

The Edmonton Oilers’ early-season struggles are starting to feel all too familiar, as October has traditionally not been the team’s best month. Unfortunately, the concerns have carried over into November as the team has given away multiple two-goal leads. It’s the kind of situation where the Oilers have to be growing frustrated and, at the same time, testing Connor McDavid’s patience.

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After surrendering leads and losing two tight games against St. Louis and Dallas, Edmonton sits smack dab in the middle of the NHL standings. There is reason to believe this team can find its groove, go on a run, and change its position, but for a team that was supposed to have learned from past Octobers and Novembers, it’s becoming an annoying narrative.

When Connor McDavid signed his two-year, $12.5 million extension just before the season, he made one thing clear: he wants to win — repeatedly — in Edmonton. “If we have a team that can win and win and win again,” McDavid said, “I’ll be here.”

This start can’t be what McDavid had in mind.

McDavid has struggled early as well. He leads the NHL in points, but with only four goals, frustration is building over his decision-making, especially when it comes to shooting the puck. That said, he is starting to find his game and scored and potted his 1100th point. He’s likely to explode, and we’ll be looking back at his first handful of games and realizing we were freaking out over nothing.

Still, the rest of the team needs to pull their weight.

That could prove difficult. As TSN’s Craig Button pointed out this week, McDavid’s message ahead of the season and his decision to take a discount to stay also come with added pressure. There’s a responsibility on the team and the players to the Oilers to let that team-friendly extension go unappreciated.

The team still looks top-heavy — dangerous for stretches, but unable to close games or play a full 60 minutes. The support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl hasn’t been there yet, and the depth players on the team have struggled to follow the lead of the team’s top players.

Some of this might be on the coach, who is playing McDavid and Draisaitl a heavy workload. How long can the Oilers sustain that kind of usage?

McDavid Won’t Accept Oilers Mediocrity

McDavid, who’s carried the franchise through years of growing pains, isn’t likely to accept mediocrity indefinitely. The Oilers playing the role of a team that stays afloat and waits for the moment to flip a switch may no longer be acceptable.

It’s one thing to be frustrated with a loss. It’s another thing to be discouraged by the fact that the Oilers aren’t doing things to change the outcome of games, so they don’t keep losing.

Next: Trent Frederic Needs to Embrace Role That Will Define Future with Oilers