Connor McDavid finished the 2022/23 NHL regular season with 153 points, but to date in two playoff games against the Los Angeles Kings, he’s registered a lone assist. His lack of scoring has already caught the attention of media and fans around Edmonton, some thinking the Oilers’ captain might be injured or ill, while others wondering where his offensive spark has gone.
Leon Draisaitl has five points already in two games and he’s been the most dangerous man on the ice for both teams. So, if Draisaitl and produce points, but McDavid isn’t, what’s the problem? Right now, the answer is nothing. There’s no problem as the tight-checking Kings have done a good job of slowing McDavid down. If things continue, perhaps it’s fair to wonder what’s going on.
While McDavid said he’d like to chip in a little bit more offensively, he only cares about wins and right now the series is tied 1-1. He added that he believes it’s only a matter of time and everyone playing for the Oilers and cheering for this time hopes that’s true. The reality is, the Oilers find success when McDavid is producing. When he isn’t, these games are a lot closer than they probably should be.
Edmonton is hoping that Friday night comes with a breakout performance from McDavid in Game 3. He’s been dangerous on multiple rushes throughout the series, but he’s not produced or put a puck behind the goalie. Coming from someone who just potted 64 goals, that’s quite alarming. He says he understands the narrative and that people want to talk about his lack of scoring, but he reiterated that the series is tied and “nothing else really matters.”
The Oilers will face the Kings in an important game that could shift the series back in the favor of Edmonton. The Oilers lost the home-ice advantage when they let the first game of the series slip away in the final minutes. They need an explosive game to get things back on track and prove that not only can they can handle the shut-down style of the Kings, but they can also thrive offensively despite it. That includes McDavid.
More must-reads: