McDavid had little left to do as 2023 approached – or so we thought! The Richmond Hill, Ontario native has reached at least 100 points in every season of his career, except for his debut year and the pandemic-shortened 2020. This season, Connor McDavid has made sure to dominate every offensive category.
In Edmonton’s 5-4 victory over the Coyotes on Monday, McDavid scored his 140th point, moving him into elite company. Since Hall of Fame centre Wayne Gretzky scored 149 points in 1988, McDavid is the only Oiler to accomplish that total thus far.
There have only been 25 seasons with 140 points or more in the NHL (plus five in the World Hockey League), and this is the first one in the twenty-first century. Nikita Kucherov, a right winger with the Lightning, set the league high since 2000 with 128 points in 2019.
McDavid would conclude 2023 with 155 points if he keeps up his current rate, which would tie Red Wings centre Steve Yzerman for the most points in history by players other than Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux. The 13 most prolific hockey seasons in history were attributed to the two Hall of Fame centres. In fact, McDavid is on course to earn the league’s leading goal scorer award, the Maurice Richard Trophy, at the end of this season.
McDavid previously set a 44-goal career high last year while en route to a then-personal best of 123 points.
McDavid has always possessed exceptional skating, which has drawn parallels to Coffey for his capacity to dislodge opponents with a single stride over time. Yet according to Coffey, McDavid’s game in that area involves much more than speed.
“Several quick skaters have participated in the game. A lot, “said Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey. “There aren’t many people who can skate that fast with that tiny black thing on their stick and still do what he does, though.
“When his legs move that quickly, I frequently ponder how slow his mind might be. That is to say, I guarantee you he has the enviable ability to slow everything down in his mind, despite the skating speed he’s at. “But Connor is not to be misunderstood. He pays close attention to who is on the ice, who he is playing against, how much time has passed since their play began, and whether he can outperform them. He is a very wise player.”
And one who is constantly changing in his capacity as captain, according to Messier.
Following in the footsteps of legends like Gretzky and Messier, McDavid became the NHL’s youngest captain (19 years, 266 days) and the 15th for Edmonton on October 5, 2016. It was a difficult road for the youngster at the time, who frequently appeared uneasy in front of the television cameras and was much more at ease in the small space of the dressing room.
He seemed to be much more at ease now and we look forward to watching more of his goals on ice.
Bonus: If McDavid is now your favourite and you are still looking for your Oilers fan gear, try the Sport Chek flyer or visit the store near you for discounted merchandise.
Last Updated on by Priyanshi Sharma
