What's wrong with Connor McDavid this season? Lowest PPG and GPG output in ~7-8 years for him

[Greatzsky 99]

How many running backs are having career years post 35? Ovechkin hit his career highs for points in his early 20s. Lebron and Currey are great, but not as great as they were 5+ years ago. In various sports roles, you can make up for declining physical abilities with experience and intelligence. McDavid's game is based around speed, so he'll need to reinvent himself a little to continue winning Art Ross trophies.

No one thinks that McDavid's play is going to fall off a cliff. Just that it'll be hard for him to have career years going forward. And yes, his play will slow as he goes through his 30s.

I dont think this has to to with age. And McDavid is to good playmaker to say his game is based on speed, he has over 1 assists per game.

 

[Three On Zero]

I dont think this has to to with age. And McDavid is to good playmaker to say his game is based on speed, he has over 1 assists per game.

The bulk of his assists are also created due to his speed. He does have other great attributes, but his speed is what sets him apart.

 

[ORRFForever]

He does seem "off" this year. Having said that, an "off" McDavid is still a Top 3 player.

 

[blankall]

I dont think this has to to with age. And McDavid is to good playmaker to say his game is based on speed, he has over 1 assists per game.

Once again, no one is stating that McDavid doesn't have a great all around game. He definitely uses his did to drive into the zone and gets a fair number of points that way.

He'll either have to reinvent himself a little, or his production will slow.

 

[featherhawk]

my guess is he is trying to start a family and have babies however it has not panned out just yet.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Once again, no one is stating that McDavid doesn't have a great all around game.

I am stating that actually. He sucks at defense, and almost always has every season of his entire NHL career. Floats in his own zone straight legged and his stick hip height constantly. Back checks when he feels like it. Changes when he feels like it. Ties up an opponent stick in the slot only when he feels like it.

Connor plays selfish. I know what the assist numbers say but it's deeper than that. The Oilers have not only not curtailed this, but have indeed encouraged it. Take the full two minutes of every powerplay. Play 24 minutes a night if you want. We'll acquire all your Junior buddies and even make your agent president and hire your fave coach Knobby. Crosby lived with Mario his first couple seasons, McDavid got a washed up overpaid Milan Lucic.

The whole McJesus thing is just a moniker but the Oilers really treat it as holy sacrosanct.

 

[olli]

he’ll be fine. I think once he gets a cup he’ll go back to trying harder in the regular season but for now I really believe he’s purposely been going at 90% for the last 2 regular seasons most of the time apart from when his team really needs it. He was clearly the best forward at 4 nations based on the eye test even though his production didn’t show it. One could argue he was also “due for a down year” in terms of on ice shooting percentage and I’m sure his underlying numbers aren’t as far off as the point out put would indicate.


And yes of course he’s probably already peaked in production. I don’t think he’ll ever hit 64 goals or 100 assists again but I’m confident he still has 2-5 125 point seasons left especially if he can win a cup in the next couple of years. He’s just to good offensively compared to 99.9% of the league. His speed will slowly diminish but his vision/hands/shot/iq wont nearly as much.

 

[torniojaws]

His heart's already in Toronto.

I thought he wanted to win a cup?

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Dude needs to go down to McDavid's, get a Big Mc and just chill...hold the ketchup

View attachment 984710

 

[pekka55]

Maybe him carrying the whole team for 9 seasons finally caught up to him? He's also getting to that age where players start to slow down.

 

[daver]

he’ll be fine. I think once he gets a cup he’ll go back to trying harder in the regular season but for now I really believe he’s purposely been going at 90% for the last 2 regular seasons most of the time apart from when his team really needs it. He was clearly the best forward at 4 nations based on the eye test even though his production didn’t show it. One could argue he was also “due for a down year” in terms of on ice shooting percentage and I’m sure his underlying numbers aren’t as far off as the point out put would indicate.

He outproduced MacKinnon and didn't win the MVP. McDavid looked great in the Finland game, had moments in the first US game, and was very fortunate to get gifted that open slot look in the final as he wasn't visible at all that game. Full marks to burying his chance but it was like Crosby's 2010 OT goal; a historically important goal that fortunately took away the focus of an underperformance on the biggest stage.

 

[PaulD]

You just can't be at your best every season.

He's played 9 seasons 21-22 minutes per game without missing more than, what, 30-40 games? And is coming off of a playoff run as deep as it gets. Maybe dealing with something too.

He clearly needed the break. But didn't get it.

But yeah, you know you're pretty good when a 115 point pace leads questions like what's wrong.

We're enjoying the Ovi race for the greatest goal scorer of all time, but it's easy to forget he went back to back seasons without 40 goals after dominating the League for a handful of years. You play 20 years in the League, ups and downs are inevitable.

McDavid having a slow season (by McDavid standards) Yet still on pace to out score some teams super stars career years.
Oilers have experienced what Panthers and Lightening experienced and are playing accordingly. Regular season means f#@$ all. Just make the play offs and play big boy hockey then. Leave the regular season kiddie hockey to the pretenders.

He outproduced MacKinnon and didn't win the MVP. McDavid looked great in the Finland game, had moments in the first US game, and was very fortunate to get gifted that open slot look in the final as he wasn't visible at all that game. Full marks to burying his chance but it was like Crosby's 2010 OT goal; a historically important goal that fortunately took away the focus of an underperformance on the biggest stage.

As opposed to all the other players who when gifted those open looks in the final ....choked.

 

[PaulD]

He does seem "off" this year. Having said that, an "off" McDavid is still a Top 3 player.

Exactly ....... he is on pace for 115 pts. My habs havent has a 115 point player in decades.
Nor have many other teams.

 

[Crosby2010]

Do you want to bet that even with his missed games he gets 110 points? You are pretty darn good when you get that kind of point total and people think it is a down year. Reminds me of Mario in 1997. Others were catching up to him and he had "only" 122 points an Art Ross Trophy, a 1st team all-star, 50 goals and a Hart finalist season. And the idea was that he was "off" that year. And he had a relatively full year at 76 games. It is possible that he never reaches that 6th Art Ross trophy. I can remember after 2023 people were assuming on here that he was going to get it and chase Gretzky's 10. That isn't going to happen. I think he can get at least one more in his career, but it won't be this year. That being said, 5 Art Ross trophies with two of them blowing the competition out of the water is still in rare company. Gretzky with 10 and Mario and Howe with 6 are the only ones with more than him. Jagr and Esposito have 5 as well. There was a time when each of them stopped leading the NHL in points. It has to happen sometime. I am not sure it is now for him because he definitely has another Art Ross in him but if he never gets another one then no big deal. He's already one of the best scorers in NHL history. But this is his 10th season as a pro, we have threads about this on Gretzky as we speak on the History board complaining about how he dropped at a certain age. When you are this good and you "drop" you are still possibly the best player in the NHL. And McDavid falls into this category. Wait for the playoffs.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I am stating that actually. He sucks at defense, and almost always has every season of his entire NHL career. Floats in his own zone straight legged and his stick hip height constantly. Back checks when he feels like it. Changes when he feels like it. Ties up an opponent stick in the slot only when he feels like it.

Connor plays selfish. I know what the assist numbers say but it's deeper than that. The Oilers have not only not curtailed this, but have indeed encouraged it. Take the full two minutes of every powerplay. Play 24 minutes a night if you want. We'll acquire all your Junior buddies and even make your agent president and hire your fave coach Knobby. Crosby lived with Mario his first couple seasons, McDavid got a washed up overpaid Milan Lucic.

The whole McJesus thing is just a moniker but the Oilers really treat it as holy sacrosanct.

Weegartown huh? I can smell the huge cloud of bias emanating from Calgary, all the way from here in Montreal.

Imagine, you wasted all this time writting up that post so you can vent, but no one will take you seriously.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

He’ll score 50 points in the last 20 games to make up for the slow start.