Earlier this month, Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid told Sportsnet's Mark Spector, “I want to prove that scoring 50 or 60 (goals) is not a one-off." He added, "I’ve had 50 goals, and I’ve had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more."
With those comments fresh in our minds as preseason for No. 97 opened on Wednesday, the expectation was that McDavid would shoot, and shoot a lot.
That didn't exactly happen.
Missed Chances Cost Oilers in 4-1 Preseason Loss To Kraken
Finishing the contest with one shot on goal, McDavid used the game against the Seattle Kraken more as a way to get his feet under him, get Trent Frederic involved on that line, and develop some early chemistry with his good buddy Leon Draisaitl. At times, the duo looked dynamic. However, on several occasions, McDavid chose not to shoot, even when the option to score was open.
One thing we should remind ourselves of -- this is preseason. The game means very little, and there is no doubt that both McDavid and Draisaitl will do their thing this season and be at or near the top of the NHL standings in points when the 2025-26 campaign is over. One meaningless game is not a good indicator of what's to come.
That said, it was a bit surprising to see McDavid not shoot after hinting he was going to open up a shooting gallery this season.
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McDavid passed up a shot at the 14:10 mark of the first period that wound up becoming a nothing play. Again, at 17:30, he could have shot, but chose to make a beauty pass to Draisaitl. The latter was still a good play and it was hard to blame McDavid for his choice there, but it was an opportunity for him to relish the shooter's mentality.
McDavid ended the game with one shot on goal, but several dangerous chances between himself and No. 29. Will we see a different approach in his next preseason game? Perhaps. It might take some time to think shoot first when you've been such an incredible playmaker. And, when Draisaitl is on the line (arguably one of the best shooters in the NHL), convincing himself to look off his buddy might require some patience.
Perhaps that’s one of the drawbacks of McDavid and Draisaitl starting the season on the same line: McDavid’s default play often seems to be setting up his nuclear weapon to finish the play.
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