Oilers' Connor McDavid admits being "too pass-first" after career-low 26 goals scored last season

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Canada National Hockey Teams Orientation Camp - Source: Getty
Connor McDavid admits being "too pass-first" after career-low 26 goals scored last season - Source: Getty

Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid admitted he leaned a little too much on passing last year, finishing with just 26 goals, the lowest total of his career.

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He guided the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, losing both times. McDavid piled up 100 assists in 2023-24, followed by 26 goals and 74 assists in 67 games last season, while also leading all players in playoff scoring with 33 points in 22 games.

On Thursday, McDavid reflected on his season during a phone interview, saying:

“I want to prove that scoring 50 or 60 is not a one-off," McDavid said via Sportsnet.ca. "I've had 50 goals, and I've had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more.”
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McDavid explained that his main goal is always to help the Oilers win. While he’s comfortable playing the “passed role“, he wants to be more assertive when it comes to finishing his own chances:

“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.’
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“That's when my game is at its best. Maybe a little bit too pass-first the last couple of years," he added.
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He believes his game is at its best when he takes that initiative and acknowledged that over the past couple of years, he has leaned a little too heavily on passing.

Connor McDavid on his contract situation

Connor McDavid is heading into the final year of his deal and is now eligible for an extension, but he hasn’t signed one yet, making it one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.

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“With me being me, in this position, in this market, people are going to talk about it. That's understandable, and that's fair,” McDavid said.

He also acknowledged that the speculation is inevitable. Playing in a hockey market like Edmonton, and being the player he is, guarantees people will talk. To him, all of that noise is just background chatter:

“I’m just not in a rush to make this decision.”

Connor McDavid stressed that time is on his side and isn’t in a rush to make contract decisions. He added that he has had plenty of conversations behind the scenes with his family and agent.

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Edited by Veer Badani
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