Oilers Need McDavid to Shoot - Because Nobody Else Can Do What He Does
Let’s be clear: questioning Connor McDavid’s hockey instincts feels a bit like second-guessing Mozart’s choice of notes. The guy’s a generational talent, the best player on the planet, and the engine that drives everything the Edmonton Oilers do. But even the greats have moments where their decision-making invites a closer look - especially when it might be costing their team wins.
That’s exactly what happened Tuesday night in a 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild. McDavid, dazzling as ever with the puck on his stick, carved through the neutral zone and into the slot not once, but twice - creating prime scoring opportunities with the kind of edgework and acceleration that leaves defenders spinning.
But instead of firing on net, he opted for backhand passes to Zach Hyman on the doorstep. Both times, the plays fizzled.
One pass didn’t connect. The other found Hyman in heavy coverage.
And the Oilers, despite controlling most of the game, walked away empty-handed.
After the game, McDavid didn’t shy away from the fact that the team - and he himself - may have passed up some quality chances.
“We definitely threw pucks there, had some looks, passed some away, myself more than anybody…” he said, acknowledging the missed opportunities.
When pressed on what he saw on those plays, McDavid mentioned spotting a backside option and trying to thread the puck through. “But yeah,” he added, “I can take those.”
And that’s the point.
This isn’t about McDavid being unselfish - that’s part of what makes him so dangerous. It’s that sometimes, the best play is the shot. Especially when it’s coming off the stick of a player who’s scored 64 in a season and once said he likes goals “a bit more than assists.”
Right now, McDavid ranks 31st in the league in shots on goal. He’s tied for 35th in goals.
For a player of his caliber - a player who is the offense in Edmonton - those numbers are underwhelming. The Oilers don’t need him to be a setup man every shift.
They need him to be the finisher. The closer.
The guy who takes the game into his own hands and buries the puck when the moment calls for it.
And Tuesday night, the moment called for it.
The loss to Minnesota stung in a different way than the blowouts to Dallas or Colorado. This was a game the Oilers had every reason to win.
They played well. They created chances.
They just couldn’t solve Jesper Wallstedt. And when overtime came, the story was the same - forced passes, missed opportunities, and McDavid passing up looks that could’ve ended the night.
It’s not that McDavid doesn’t know how to take over. We’ve seen it time and again - in the playoffs, in late-season pushes, in highlight-reel moments that feel like video game sequences.
But this season, there’s been a pattern of deferring when he could be asserting. And when your best player is also your most dangerous shooter, that can’t happen.
The Oilers need McDavid to shoot more. Not because they’re trying to change who he is, but because who he is includes being a lethal scorer. And when the game is on the line, there’s no one else you’d rather have with the puck on his stick.
This isn’t about calling out the captain. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, the simple play - the shot - is the best one.
And with McDavid, a “simple” shot is still a nightmare for goalies. He doesn’t need to make the perfect pass.
He just needs to trust that his shot is good enough. Because it is.
The challenge, of course, is how you send that message. You don’t tell Connor McDavid what to do.
You don’t bench him. You don’t call him out in the media.
But internally, there has to be a conversation - a nudge, a reminder - that he’s not just the facilitator. He’s the finisher.
And the Oilers? They’re a better team when McDavid plays like it.