Oilers' Connor McDavid Discusses Emotional Night vs. Penguins

A Game Drowning in Storylines

The hockey itself somehow lived up to the buildup. McDavid and Draisaitl each finished with four points, with Draisaitl reaching 1,000 career points in the process and becoming the first German-born player in NHL history to do so. The Oilers also became the first NHL team to have five players score 1,000 points.

His milestone came quietly but meaningfully, a secondary assist on Zach Hyman’s 5-on-3 power-play goal midway through the first period (video below). Draisaitl’s cross-ice pass opened space for McDavid, who fed Hyman at the crease to make it 1–0. McDavid later reflected on how impressive the milestone was and the significance of reaching 1,000 points as a teammate and friend.

McDavid added two goals and two assists, extending his point streak to seven games, while Hyman and Evan Bouchard chipped in a goal and an assist each. Edmonton continued its upward trend, now 5-1-1 in its last seven.

Crosby recorded an assist of his own, pulling within one point of Mario Lemieux for the Penguins’ all-time scoring lead.

The Human Side of a Hockey Trade

After the win, during a postgame media scrum, McDavid was asked about seeing Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner in the opposite crease for the first time since being traded. He reflected on the unusual sight and the personal side of hockey trades, noting how weird it was to watch familiar faces now stand on the other side.

“Strange. I’ve seen him in the net lots, shot lots of pucks at him in practice, but strange to see him in the other net. Maybe not emotional, but understanding that both those guys were big parts of this group for a long time. We’ve had lots of great times together and some bad times too, and that forges relationships. It’s disappointing to see them go and difficult to see them on the other side,” said McDavid.

Even in the middle of a high-stakes game, the human side of hockey is hard to ignore. McDavid’s words emphasized how much relationships and shared experiences matter, especially when longtime teammates and friends are suddenly opponents.

“I always advocate for the human side of it. The storylines were endless for the media and fans tonight — you could write about anything. But at the end of the day, we’re people. It’s emotional. Stu’s got a young family, Koulie’s got a young family moving across the continent, Jar’s the same. They build relationships. I’m sure it was an emotional night for all three of them, and I’m sure they’re glad it’s over,” McDavid explained.

That awareness of the human element shaped how he approached the night — not distracted, but conscious of the shared history unfolding on both benches. Hockey may be about points and goals, but nights like this reveal the deeper bonds and challenges that players navigate beyond the scoreboard.

It was a rare glimpse behind the curtain. Hockey rarely pauses to acknowledge the families uprooted, the routines disrupted, or the emotional toll hidden beneath routine answers.

Some games you remember for the score. Others stick with you because of everything surrounding it. This one was unmistakably the latter.