Connor McDavid didn’t need many words to sketch out the lesson from Edmonton’s rough year: nothing in the NHL is handed out just because a team has been there before.
Speaking on the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas during the NHL’s annual player media tour, the Oilers captain said last season exposed a simple truth about his club. A team can come close one year, then stumble the next if it doesn’t keep building the right way.
“We come a shot away from the ultimate goal; come a couple of games away the following year,” McDavid said. “You almost take it for granted that you’re this team that’s just going to figure it out and be there. But that’s not how it works at all.
“There are steps throughout the season that you have to take… It’s a process to build up toward being ready to play when it matters most.”
That message lands against the backdrop of an Oilers season that never really settled in. Edmonton fought inconsistency all year and then exited in the first round of the playoffs, losing a six-game series to the Anaheim Ducks. The group that had reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals looked far removed from that standard, and the question hanging over the offseason has been what exactly went sideways.
McDavid pointed to preparation, accountability and the need to be ready from the start. One of the reasons Edmonton hired Mike Babcock was to push the group harder and put more pressure on the team’s top players, and McDavid said that’s exactly the kind of voice he wants around him.
He also said he expects the Oilers to open the season on firmer ground than they have in recent years.
“We’re going to be the most prepared team in the NHL,” McDavid said. “I know that because I’ve seen them work already in their preparation for the year. It’s an exciting time for us; it really is.
“Babs is there to be Babs and to coach the way he sees fit. We’re also a team and teammates who care about each other, and if there’s an area or a place where we have to step in, of course we’re going to do that, but we would do that with any coach; it doesn’t matter who it is.”
McDavid’s contract situation will only keep the spotlight brighter in Edmonton this season. He is entering the first year of a two-year deal and will be eligible to sign an extension next summer, which means another shaky campaign would only fuel the worry that he could eventually leave the Alberta capital.
But McDavid sounded far removed from that gloomy picture. He said he is driven to win, but not miserable in the life he’s built.
“I am a happy guy. I live a great life,” McDavid said.
“I have a great wife and a great family, and my life is absolutely great. I’m extremely grateful for how my life is.
“I feel incredibly grateful that I am so passionate about what I do because there are a lot of people in the world who don’t get to live with that passion and what they do every day. So I feel very lucky that I get to do what I do and live the life I live.”
For Edmonton, the mission is clear: avoid another season that drifts off course. For McDavid, the goal is just as obvious - make sure this one lasts a whole lot longer than the last.
In Other News...
Oilers Just Made A Move Fans Will Have Strong Opinions On
The Oilers added Alex Formenton on a one-year deal, a move that immediately stood out around the league because of the wingers past and the baggage that comes with it. On a roster that is always judged through the lens of contention, Edmontons front office made a bet that is already sure to stir up strong reactions from fans who follow every layer of the teams decision-making.
Formentons name has lingered in hockey conversations because of his involvement in the 2018 Hockey Canada case involving five players, which makes this signing about more than just depth on paper. Edmonton has left itself open to scrutiny by bringing him in now, and the real question is how much patience supporters will have for the move once the initial surprise gives way to the details. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Spark Immediate Backlash With Controversial Alex Formenton Decision
The Oilers decision to bring in Alex Formenton has already turned into one of the most scrutinized moves of their offseason. Formenton, who had previously been involved in a trial stemming from the 2018 Hockey Canada team, said he was grateful for the chance to get back to the NHL, while the signing immediately put Edmonton under a brighter spotlight than most late-summer additions ever draw.
What has only added to the chatter is how little advance notice the league appeared to have before the move became public. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the Oilers did not need league approval for the signing and learned about it at the same time everyone else, a detail that only sharpened the sense that Edmonton was willing to move first and sort out the reaction later. [Read more 🡒]
McDavid Just Sent A Clear Message About What Oilers Need Most
Connor McDavids captains skate in Edmonton on Sept. 9 offered an early glimpse of what the Oilers think will matter most when camp ramps up. Speaking with local media, he stressed the need for a fast start to the season and made it clear that the group cant afford to spend weeks searching for its footing again after a summer of reflection and expectation.
McDavid also addressed the practical side of getting there, pointing to the value of a calmer year on the schedule and the chance to carry more rest into the grind ahead. For a team that has spent plenty of time juggling combinations and trying to settle into a rhythm, the message was less about flash than about finding a steady base before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]