“Showed up ever since I got here”: Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl’s leadership impresses Oilers GM Ken Holland

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has been the face of the franchise since arriving. He’s led the team through good times and tough ones. McDavis has exemplified his team’s success by winning scoring titles and Hart trophies.

But there’s one area about McDavid’s game that has impressed Oilers’ GM Ken Holland the most: McDavid’s leadership abilities. According to Holland, McDavid has been key to the Oilers’ success.

In a recent quote by the Daily Faceoff, Holland extolled McDavid’s leadership abilities. But it’s not only McDavid that’s impressed Holland. Leon Draisaitl has also captured Holland’s attention.

Holland had this to say about one of the most prolific duos in NHL history:

"They’ve shown up ever since I got here. They’re competitive. They’re driven. They compete in the playoffs when it’s hard. They lead by example."

Connor McDavid and Draisaitl leading by example has allowed them to thrive under pressure. A case in point is the Oilers’ comeback against the Vancouver Canucks. Down 3-2, the Oilers fought back to win games 6 and 7.

That sort of leadership has inspired the team around McDavid and Draisaitl.

Holland would go on to conclude:

"The guys dug in. You know, they’re doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but I thought we had all hands on deck here the last two games and didn’t have any passengers."

The “passengers” remark was a direct stab at Canucks coach Rick Tocchet’s criticism of his team’s performance.

The Oilers will need McDavid and Draisaitl to lead the way as they face a formidable opponent in the Dallas Stars. The Western Conference Finals starts next Thursday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Holland happy that Connor McDavid and the Oilers are in the final four

Holland acknowledged the tough road ahead. Per the Daily Faceoff, Holland added these comments regarding their upcoming series versus the Dallas Stars:

"It’s another stiff challenge. There’s 32 teams that started in September. There’s only four left. We’re one of them. We were down 3-2, the guys dug in, and I’m just happy to be part of the Final Four."

Holland concluded:

"We know what we’re meeting a tremendous hockey team."

That “tremendous“ Stars team took the season series this year. Dallas won two of three, including a 5-0 pounding in April. Dallas outscored the Oilers 12-7.

The Oilers will need McDavid and Draisaitl to lead the way against Dallas. The Stars boast a deep lineup that will prove challenging. In the meantime, Holland and company are content with being among the top four teams in the league.