A total of 602 games: this is what Connor McDavid needed to reach the plateau of 900 points in the National Hockey League (NHL), which allows him to compare favorably with several legends of the circuit.
In fact, the Edmonton Oilers captain is the fifth fastest to do so. Wayne Gretzky (385 games) and Mario Lemieux (463) are true unicorns in this category, but McDavid shows performance similar to those of Mike Bossy (582) and Peter Stastny (599).
• Read also: NHL: Huberdeau and the Flames deprive Fleury of a 551st victory
• Read also: World Juniors: Here are the eight times Canada missed the medal round
• Read also: William Nylander and the Maple Leafs would get closer to a spectacular agreement
The Ontarian scored his 10th career five-point game on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, bringing his total to 903 points. Obviously, the 26-year-old only had eyes for his team’s 5-2 victory, a sixth in a row.
“It’s another interesting step, an opportunity to reflect on the work accomplished,” McDavid first mentioned in the press scrum before branching off. It’s a team that works hard, they don’t give much away. They defended really well, but we didn’t give up. I found that Stuart [Skinner] made some excellent saves. We found ways to score and it was a great win.”
The humility of the NHL’s brightest star surprises no one. You have to look to your teammates to receive praise.
“For him, it’s just another number; he is only happy to have won, knowing him. He is a generational talent. It’s pretty special in the era we play in to see him in the same category as these guys,” said his linemate Zach Hyman.
“I don’t think anyone has come close in recent history. It’s pretty amazing, and it’s special to have the opportunity to play with him,” added the former Toronto Maple Leafs.
The click
However, McDavid experienced some difficulties at the start of the campaign, even having fallen below the point per game mark, far from his standards. A bit like when Martin St-Louis managed to revive Cole Caufield upon his arrival in Montreal in 2021-2022, the pivot exploded as soon as Kris Knoblauch was placed at the helm of the Oilers.
Since this hiring on November 13, McDavid has only been removed from the scoresheet twice. He amassed 43 points in 22 games during this stretch.
“It looked pretty easy for him. It was beautiful to see, he was flying on the ice and making incredible plays all evening. I can’t believe he only got [16 min 35 s] of playing time,” analyzed the head coach, who is just starting to get used to the pace of his protégé.
“It’s remarkable what he’s done, but it never surprises me. I’m past this phase where he surprises me because he does so much. I just like to enjoy it,” Knoblauch said.
The Oilers continue to climb the standings, having moved to fourth place in the Pacific Division. They will face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.