Simply put, stopping Connor McDavid is a problem. You can spend a lot of time figuring out how to contain him, but the more attention you give him, the more opportunities you may create for somebody else.

The Edmonton Oilers are getting a pretty good look at that right now. McDavid has 23 points in eight games after putting up five more in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. He’s scoring, setting up teammates, and making the sort of plays that leave opponents wondering how they were supposed to defend them.

At some point, you have to ask whether we’re looking at more than a hot start. McDavid is producing at a historic pace, and his presence changes the way teams have to approach Edmonton.

Stopping McDavid Is Easier Said Than Done

Most teams know what they’re getting when they face McDavid. He’ll attack with speed, look for openings, and try to make something happen whenever he has the puck. The trouble is that knowing what he wants to do and actually stopping him are two different things.

Give him a little room, and he can beat a defender wide. Send extra attention his way, and he may find a teammate with a better scoring opportunity. Back off, and he has time to survey the ice and pick his spot. That’s what makes him so difficult to play against. It’s not simply that he can score a goal or collect a few assists. He forces opponents to make decisions, and those decisions can open up the ice for the Oilers.

Of course, Edmonton still has to take advantage. Other players need to get open, finish their chances, and make teams pay when they concentrate too much on McDavid. A superstar can create opportunities, but somebody has to turn them into goals.

Edmonton Has to Make McDavid’s Impact Count

The Oilers are off to a 6-1-1 start, and McDavid’s production has played a huge part in that success. But there’s a bigger opportunity here than another scoring title or a run at 150 points. If Edmonton can use the attention McDavid attracts to get more players involved, it becomes a more difficult team to defend. Opponents can’t simply build their entire game plan around slowing down one player if others are ready to take advantage.

That’s especially important in the playoffs. Teams get more time to study their opponents, and the games become tighter. McDavid will still be a major threat, but Edmonton needs other players to make a difference when the space disappears, and the pressure rises.

McDavid is doing his part, and then some. The next question is whether the Oilers can turn the problems he creates for opposing defences into a bigger advantage for the whole team. If they can, his impact will go well beyond the points beside his name.

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