Regeatful decision; The all time player in Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid has finally make his decision to…
despite putting on one of the most outstanding individual performances in NHL playoff history in the spring, the Oilers were unable to win the Stanley Cup or advance to the final.
Being so close to his ultimate goal has consumed McDavid’s every waking moment in the past. He is widely regarded as the best player in his sport and among its most driven athletes. Following a play-in series loss to Chicago and the Oilers’ elimination from the 2020 Edmonton playoff bubble, McDavid directed his attention toward his defensive shortcomings.
He committed to getting better after demanding in-depth feedback from his coaches. He developed his defensive skills by watching endless footage of the top athletes in the league, and after that, he experienced “probably the biggest transformation” of an the best player Glen Gulutzan, the assistant coach for the Oilers, has ever seen. Ever since, McDavid’s play off the puck has only gotten better.
Following that setback against the eventual champion Avalanche last summer, McDavid decided to improve the accuracy of his shot.
After coming back to Ontario, he spent hours practicing and studying how to improve as a shooter, mostly by watching footage of his friendly rival Auston Matthews. This season, he fulfilled teammate Leon Draisaitl’s preseason prediction of scoring 60 goals by emerging as the NHL’s top goal scorer.
One of the best regular seasons in NHL history was just concluded by the captain of the Oilers. In terms of goals (64), assists (89), and points (153), he was the league leader.
That was a first since Wayne Gretzky in 1986–1987. In terms of power-play points (71), he led all players and concluded with the fourth-highest total ever.
He has earned his fifth Art Ross and his first Rocket Richard Trophy. In June, he will receive yet another Ted Lindsay Award and Hart Trophy (having already won two and three, respectively).
The goal of all the effort and product was to improve the Oilers further in order to advance to the next round of the playoffs, which start on Monday with a rematch against the Kings in the first round.
However, McDavid handled the defeat in the Western Conference finals in a different way. He’s stepped back and found methods to detach himself from hockey, something he’s maintained throughout this season.
His undying focus remains on winning and becoming one of the greatest players of all time. It’s just that he’s become the best version of himself and has a smoother path because of his interests outside of the rink.
It liberated his thoughts,” says Kelly, McDavid’s mother. “He previously believed that winning the Stanley Cup required him to be thinking or worrying about hockey all the time.
He now has a completely different perspective. This year, he has become an absolute machine thanks to his level of maturity and mental health.
