EDMONTON – Connor McDavid checks all the boxes as a world-class hockey player.
The Edmonton Oilers’ superstar center possesses ludicrous speed, wizard-like hockey sense and laser-precise shooting ability. He’s defensively responsible. If one were constructing a near-perfect, generational player, McDavid would be the blueprint.
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At some point soon, the 21-year-old captain will be the best player in the world. He’s close to holding that title — many would argue he’s already there — but there are still a few things he needs to accomplish (leading the Oilers to a Stanley Cup) before stripping the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby of the belt.
McDavid already has 11 points in five games to start the season, including a pair of assists that helped the Oilers to a 3-2 overtime victory against the Bruins Thursday night. Every time he’s on the ice something exciting happens. At one point he even started a scrum in front of the Bruins’ bench.
This is his fourth season in the NHL and he’s still learning. In fact, there’s one specific skill he’s been trying to hone and twice in the last week McDavid has studied a master at work – Patrice Bergeron.
The Bruins’ alternate captain is considered the best two-way center in the game. His ability to win faceoffs consistently is impressive and that’s a large reason why the Bruins possess the puck as much as they do when his line is on the ice.
“He’s just so strong,” McDavid said of Bergeron’s ability to win faceoffs. “He doesn’t do any fancy moves. He doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary. He’s just strong. He’s got good timing. He’s obviously done it a long time and you’ve got to find a way to get it done against him.”
Bergeron owns nearly a 60-percent career success rate in faceoffs. In a small sample size early this season, McDavid is already showing signs of improvement on the dot. McDavid was between 41 and 43 percent his first three seasons and he currently owns a 54.8-percent rating in the first five games.
“It’s definitely something I take pride in,” McDavid said. “I have to find a way to keep that number up there. Faceoffs are something I’ve always wanted to be better at. I’m starting to see some results, even though it’s early.”
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The best players in the world make those around them better. The Oilers are still trying to become a perennial winner and Stanley Cup contender. McDavid understands his role and he’s leading by example in the early going.
“It’s great to see Connor have the start that he’s had and has been leading the team the way he has,” said the Oilers’ Milan Lucic, a former Bruin.
McDavid’s elite status could turn Teflon if he can steal a few pages from Bergeron’s playbook when it comes to winning faceoffs. The more the Oilers posses the puck, the more success they’re going to have, especially when McDavid is controlling the play, which is something Bergeron does well.
“He’s won four Selke (trophies) for a reason,” Lucic said of his former teammate. “Everyone focuses on his defensive game and how great he is at faceoffs and shutting other teams’ best players down, but the last five years he’s been able to score 30 goals a year to go with it. He’s a tough player to play against on both sides of the puck.
“For someone’s who has played with him, I’m not really surprised by the production he has offensively. He can pass. He’s got great vision. He’s got great hockey sense. He’s got great knack around the net and that’s why he has the numbers he has.”
McDavid is watching.
During Thursday’s game, McDavid assisted on Edmonton’s second goal in a most unconventional manner. Some believed his pass off the end wall that ricocheted to teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a backdoor goal was intentional.
The Bruins did not agree.
“No. That’s not a set play,” said Brad Marchand.
Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak concurred.
“Lucky play. I don’t think that was a set play,” Halak said.
On the play, McDavid gained control of the puck at the top of the right circle. Lucic was camped out on the near post when McDavid released the puck. Lucic could have redirected it, but the puck trampolined off the end wall and found Nugent-Hopkins waiting on the off-post to give Edmonton a 2-1 lead.
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“Wish I could say we planned it that way,” admitted Lucic.
Besides the victory for Edmonton, playing the Bruins twice in a week had ancillary benefits for the Oilers. McDavid was able to witness first-hand what he needs to work on in order to take that next step towards being the best in the world. School was in session, and McDavid paid close attention.
(Top photo of McDavid and Bergeron: Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)