But McDavid believes there are other factors to his early-season success.
The 29-year-old benefitted from an extended offseason, an opportunity to heal a foot injury sustained in the Western Conference First Round against the Anaheim Ducks. The Oilers were eliminated by the Ducks in six games, their earliest playoff exit since 2020-21 (swept by the Winnipeg Jets).
Playing on a line with Leon Draisaitl regularly helps too. New Edmonton coach Mike Babcock decided to put the two natural centers together with several forwards unavailable because of injury.
“That’s just the way we’ve done it. When we get other people back, that doesn’t mean they’re playing together,” Babcock said. “We’re in a spot that we felt we really needed to push with one group and survive with the rest.”
McDavid and Draisaitl have played together often in the past, but the two have consistently been with each other at even strength this season. Draisaitl has also benefitted playing on a line that also includes right wing Vasily Podkolzin. He ranks second among Oilers forwards with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in eight games.
“I think Leo and I, when we did play together it was just a one-off or a situation where we needed to find one and we knew it wasn’t necessarily a long-term thing,” McDavid said. “So, to be able to have a stretch of games playing together — who knows what happens moving forward — but playing together has been so much fun, obviously, along with (Podkolzin) and (Mattias Ekholm) and (Evan Bouchard).
“I’ve said all along being out there with those guys, everybody knows where each other is, everybody has been reading off each other, playing fast, and everybody can make a play. It’s a pretty fun group to be out there with.”
Babcock has pushed the right buttons thus far and is getting the most from the Oilers roster. He is also impressed by the numbers McDavid has posted this season, although not necessarily his scoring.
“Well, I like the plus-19, so that would be the focus for me,” Babcock said. “You’re playing against good people and you’re doing things, obviously 5-on-5, to dominate the game. (McDavid and Draisaitl) are playing together and they’re playing well, and (Podkolzin) is a real good player who gives them the dimension just like (Zach Hyman) would give them.”
