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Oilers' Connor McDavid Plans Playing Style Change After Career-Low Mark

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is planning to change the way he approaches the game after what he called a disappointing season, despite still finishing with 100 points while missing 15 games.

McDavid finished 2024-25 with only 26 goals, the lowest total of his career, along with 74 assists in 67 regular-season games.

The Oilers captain is entering the final season of his eight-year, $100 million contract and is eligible for an extension, but no deal has been signed yet. He said he is not rushing, calling the speculation “white noise.”

McDavid said on Thursday that he feels like he leaned too much on passing last year, and that he intends to be more aggressive when chances come his way next season. He admitted he often deferred instead of shooting in prime scoring situations, and made clear he plans to change that trait.

Connor McDavid is looking to light the lamp more often this season

The Oilers captain hit 64 goals in 2022-23, his only 50+ campaign so far

(h/t @SportsnetSpec) pic.twitter.com/Hf67vpNAm3
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 5, 2025

“I’ve had 50 goals, and I’ve had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more,” McDavid said. “I have times where I get the puck in good spots and I’m thinking, ‘What’s the next play?’ When I should be thinking, ‘I’m going to score here, I’m going to shoot, or I’m going to take this to the net.

"That’s when my game is at its best. Maybe a little bit too pass-first the last couple of years."

The captain said he feels like he has “lots to prove” heading into the new season, even after leading all players in playoff scoring with 33 points in 22 games during Edmonton’s second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance.

“I’ve had a lot of very good years, and I wouldn’t categorize last season as one of those,” McDavid said. “I’m excited to see how good I can be, motivated to play hockey at the highest level at the Olympics, and to continue to push this group to winning.”

The Oilers, even though they accomplished a lot of making back-to-back trips to the finals, lost twice to the Florida Panthers. The frustration of those losses, at least for McDavid, still lingers.

“Florida and us proved it. Home-ice advantage. Does it matter? Maybe, but not all that much,” McDavid said. “We’ve got to master our game. We’re already pretty good at it, but we’ve got to get to a level that nobody can touch. Set a culture and a tone for this year that’s a championship culture.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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