Connor McDavid admits to personal change amidst winning streak

The Edmonton Oilers look unstoppable and are currently on a 16-game winning streak with the All-Star Break to take it all in. While insiders and pundits will point to many different reasons to why the Oilers have been able to turn this around and rack up the points, it may be due to a new attitude by team captain Connor McDavid. The superstar forward explained to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector how he is not concerned about pursuing his sixth Art Ross Trophy as long as his team keeps winning.

At the start of the season, McDavid said this was Cup or Bust, and it looks like while in the past, he would have been upset about ranking fifth in NHL scoring and his teammate Leon Draisaitl sitting 14th, this year, it’s not about that.

“It’s not one of those years where everyone’s going to be writing about all these big numbers and stuff like that. But, we’ve been there and done that,” McDavid said. “It’s about being a part of something, and I think it’s a good thing that no one’s writing about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way.

“That being said, I think my game has another level to get to and I know that that would help the team as well. So… It’s evolving.”

The focus has shited to the team and the reigning MVP, who won the scoring title with a career-high 153 points last season, wants the top prize. And that means everyone on the Oilers’ roster needs to contribute and find ways to win.
In the standings for scoring, McDavid is fifith with 67 points in 43 games, 18 back of leader Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, while Draisaitl has 57 points.

“Is it great to produce offensively? Of course, it is,” McDavid added. “But we want to be a part of something; we want to be part of a team and a group that can do some damage later in the year.”

After a terrible start to 2023-24, the Oilers climbed to third place in the Pacific divison with 59 points. The Oilers’ next game comes on Feb. 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and a victory over their division rivals would match the longest win streak in NHL history.

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