When Do We Admit Connor McDavid Is Playing a Different Sport?
Every season, there’s a stretch where we start looking for new words to describe Connor McDavid. And every season, those words run out pretty quickly.
Against the Blackhawks, McDavid Recorded Assist #50 on the Season
Monday night against Chicago was another one of those quiet McDavid games that somehow rewrites the record book. Two assists. Nothing flashy. No viral clips required. He was just in control. One of those was his 50th assist of the season, which also marked his 10th straight season hitting the mark. That’s not a hot streak — that’s a habit.
What’s easy to miss in all of this is how routine McDavid has made excellence look. He’s now riding a 19-game point streak, the longest of his career, and he’s doing it without forcing the issue. Through 46 games, he’s sitting at 80 points and well ahead of a 100-point pace. At this point, the question isn’t if he gets there, but how far past it he’s willing to go.
Who’s Left to Measure McDavid Against?
There’s a temptation to keep measuring McDavid against his own peak. He’s already put up a 153-point season, won some MVP awards and scoring titles. But that comparison almost misses the point. What’s happening right now is different. This version of McDavid feels more measured, more patient. He’s not chasing games; he’s managing them.
Take the Oilers’ win over Chicago. Edmonton controlled most of the night, and McDavid was right at the center of it without needing to dominate every shift. He set the table, tilted the ice early, and let the game come to him. That’s the kind of hockey that wins in April, not just in January.
There’s also the historical layer quietly stacking up. McDavid has now factored into 200 game-winning goals, becoming the first player in Oilers history to do so. He’s also joined Sidney Crosby as one of the very few active players with 10 seasons of at least 50 assists. Those aren’t cherry-picked stats. Those are markers of greatness.
So, Why Does Everyone Seem Surprised?
What stands out most, though, is how unsurprised everyone seems. Teammates expect it. Opponents brace for it. Fans shrug it all off and move on to the next game. That might be the highest compliment of all. McDavid has normalized the extraordinary.
At some point, we may need to stop asking how good Connor McDavid is this season and start appreciating what we’re watching in real time because this isn’t just another great year.
It’s the slow, steady accumulation of a legacy that’s becoming harder to compare to anyone else.