Connor McDavid has already proven he's the league's most elite playmaker. But heading into the 2025–26 season, the Edmonton Oilers captain is focused on something different: shooting more, scoring more, and reminding the NHL that he's capable of scoring 60-plus goals.
“I want to prove that scoring 50 or 60 is not a one-off,” McDavid told Sportsnet’s Mark Spector. “I’ve had 50 goals, and I’ve had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more.”
While scoring more feels like a selfish or personal goal, for McDavid, everything is about winning. After back-to-back Stanley Cup Final losses, he’s convinced that the Oilers’ path to the championship may depend on him being more assertive with the puck. If he follows through, the positive fallout for Edmonton could be massive.
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A New Mindset for the Captain
Now 28 years old and entering his 10th season, the Oilers' captain admits it might be time to shift his thinking. The last time he scored more than 60, it was on the back of a dare by Leon Draisaitl that McDavid couldn't score 50. Now that No. 97 seems aware that 50 might be a necessity and not a luxury, this could be a Rocket Richard-like season for McDavid.
While he’s long been known as the NHL’s premier setup man, he sees room to be more aggressive with his own shot.
“I have times where I get the puck in good spots and I’m thinking, ‘What’s the next play?’ when I should be thinking, ‘I’m going to score here, I’m going to shoot, or I’m going to take this to the net,’” McDavid said.
This new mindset is bound to create a ripple effect throughout the roster. Defenders collapse, lanes open up for others, and when McDavid scores more, it forces opponents to make difficult choices. All of that could lead to more Oilers wins.
Expect Draisaitl To Be Open Even More Often
For years, Leon Draisaitl has carried much of Edmonton’s goal-scoring load, particularly in the postseason. While he has thrived in that role, opposing teams often build their defensive structures around shutting down Draisaitl’s one-timer. Stopping Draisaitl is next to impossible, but the job gets a bit easier if defenders know McDavid is looking to pass first.
If McDavid consistently shoots and keeps opposing defenses guessing, those opting to stick with Draisaitl will have to think twice.
A goal-hungry McDavid means teams can’t simply shade toward Draisaitl on the power play or overload his side of the ice at even strength. They'll either cheat for coverage or get lost in uncertainty. That makes an already deadly duo even deadlier.
If McDavid and Draisaitl become primary goal-scoring threats, how much harder is it to cover both?
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A Boost for Edmonton’s Depth
It won't just be Draisaitl who gets more open as a result of McDavid's willingness to shoot. McDavid scoring more will trickle down the lineup, even to special teams and the bottom six. If McDavid’s mentality is “shoot first,” Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, or others on the power play will get cleaner looks off rebounds and broken plays.
When McDavid is double-shifted -- which happens often -- bottom-six players will reap the rewards of being on the ice with him. These are net crashers and forecheckers. Their job will be to know where to go to clean up the messes. Expect someone like Trent Frederic to benefit in a big way.
The Playoff Factor
As Elliotte Friedman noted on 32 Thoughts, the sting of losing in two straight Finals is fueling McDavid’s fire and desire to make changes. “It makes him crazy,” Friedman said. And that’s where his goal-scoring push matters most: in the postseason.
In playoff hockey, space tightens, and highlight-reel passes are harder to pull off. Florida did a good job of limiting McDavid's chances and free-wheeling bursts of speed. Pure scorers who can create their own shots and keep things simple by putting pucks on net when given the opportunity become even harder to stop.
McDavid gives Edmonton another dimension that no other player can bring to a team. That said, sometimes the best play is the simple one-- a shot on net. When games are close and every goal can mean a series win or loss, McDavid's decision to shoot in any given situation could mean the difference between the Cup and going home again defeated. He'll know from two stinging defeats that he can't let opportunities pass by. A more trigger-happy McDavid can be the playoff clincher.
Trouble for the Rest of the NHL
The idea of McDavid shooting more should terrify opponents. He’s already the league’s fastest skater, most dangerous passer, and best zone-entry weapon. Add a goal-scorer’s mentality, and the NHL may have no real answer.
As defenses adjust, it could also open up opportunities for McDavid to add more hardware to his collection. But, as he'll be the first to admit, trophies mean nothing anymore, not unless the reason he earns them is because being that individually dominant meant finally winning the Stanley Cup.
Last season’s total of 26 goals wasn’t enough for McDavid, and he knows it. By shooting more, scoring more, and demanding more of himself, he’s putting the league on notice. For the Oilers, the benefits will be incredible.
If McDavid follows through on his tease to be more of a shot-first player, the fallout could finally lead Edmonton to the championship he’s been chasing for a decade.
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