Connor McDavid cleared the air on coaching remarks, suggesting it wasn't meant to be said as taken by some.
Connor McDavid tried to clear the air on Monday, today, after post-game comments on Jon Cooper took a life of their own over the weekend. McDavid's praise of the Tampa Bay Lightning and subtle frustration with the Oilers left questions on the minds of Oilers nation as the team heads out on the road this week.
With one more practice at home, McDavid spoke with the media to essentially walk back some of what was misunderstood.
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McDavid said after the 5-2 loss to Tampa on home ice:
“They’ve got a great system. They’re perfectly coached. They all know what they’re doing all over the ice. It’s impressive. They are a great team. They’re extremely well coached, they’re extremely well organized. They’re very, very rehearsed in everything that they do. It’s very impressive, and when you do break them down, they’ve got a heck of a goalie to backstop them…"
When he was asked about how the Oilers get to that level this season: "That’s a coaching question you can ask Knobber that question. Obviously, we’ve been playing together a long time, and we feel like we’re somewhat rehearsed and organized, but not to their level.”
The reality of the comments is that there was no direct shot taken at his own coach. That's what McDavid wanted to clarify some 40 hours later.
McDavid explained, “We’re not taking shots. It’s just everybody can be better myself included. Everybody can be better. It was more just complementary of a great team in this league that came in and played a good game. Nothing more than that.”
He was then asked if he was at all surprised by how viral the comments went considering he was just being complimentary of a good coach and a good team:
"Not sure how it was taken that way it wasn’t supposed to be that way. But I understand obviously, I understand how people could look at it that way, but it’s not what I was intending to do at all.”
When he left practice early, as would be expected, some fans feared the worst. The first question he was asked was if he was OK. "Hips and groin stuff..all good" he said.
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