In pursuit of the Olympic golden goal in the game that decided the bragging rights for men’s ice hockey, Connor McDavid was aggressive on two overtime shifts. The second shift produced a turnover that led to Jack Hughes delivering victory for the Americans.
That moment will be recalled by many for a long time, which is wildly unfair to McDavid and Team Canada. The Edmonton Oilers captain soared above the other Olympians on his way to winning the MVP for men’s ice hockey at the Olympics. Any description of McDavid as less than brilliant is either trolling or exposes an extreme lack of hockey knowledge. McDavid delivered, as always, more than his share of overall production. He is hockey’s north star.
The problem is that you develop a past.
McDavid and the Oilers are developing a reputation for being much-watch hockey, while also falling short of winning championships. Is there something to be learned by the NHL team from the Olympic experience? Or was it all about the goalie (USA’s Connor Hellebuyck was incredible) and luck (Nathan MacKinnon’s missing an open net in regulation)?
Here are five things the Oilers might be able to use back on NHL ice.
Motivation
McDavid doesn’t need motivation. He’s hard-wired to win. However, the organization may want to work on the overall motivation of the team after a miserable eight-game home stand before the Olympic break. It was uninspired and exposed several leaks (penalty kill, outlet passing) by the team. Glen Sather, when general manager of the Oilers, would often be quoted as hoping he could replace a veteran with a rookie for motivation value. Perhaps that’s the way forward for the team at the deadline.
Some of the Oilers veterans are well off the pace of one year ago. That’s reflected in the large amount of procurement activity in-season. Management has been active this season, turning over the goaltending position with Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram, as well as adding defenceman Spencer Stastney and centre Jack Roslovic. It might be time to tweak the defence or shore up the wing. It’s a shame that Hellebuyck, a star for the Winnipeg Jets, isn’t available for trade. His NHL team won’t make the playoffs this season, and Hellebuyck added to the Oilers would be a perfect fit.
Take care of the puck
One of the reasons the club brought Paul Coffey back into the fold is the chaotic nature of Edmonton’s defending. The Oilers don’t outlet pass as well now compared to Coffey’s time in Edmonton (the 2025 Stanley Cup Final aside). Coffey will need to have the team’s defencemen use the middle of the ice for outlets, and the forwards will need to come deeper into the zone in order to invite more attractive targets.
Canada’s Olympic team turned over pucks in the gold medal game, especially in the first 20 minutes. The Americans played at a furious pace, suffocating Canada’s defencemen by giving them no time to think. Edmonton has the same problem, and it has gotten worse since the Florida Panthers exposed the issue last spring.
The Oilers must find a workaround for the issue before the postseason. Goals off turnovers cost a superior Canadian team at the Olympics, and delivered severe blows to the Oilers in last year’s final.
Speed is vital
The hockey at these Olympics will be remembered for a long time. The speed and aggression were mind-blowing. There’s no place for slower players, and the Oilers have a few men who are at least a little shy.
The defence features Darnell Nurse (94th percentile max speed), but Evan Bouchard (64th) and Mattias Ekholm (53rd) aren’t burners. Defencemen can play effectively without blinding speed, but the Oilers group could use another speedster who can close gaps quickly. Jake Walman (87th percentile) fits the bill, but has been hurt too often to count on since coming over from the San Jose Sharks a year ago. Stastney (86th percentile) and Ty Emberson (91st percentile, all numbers via NHL Edge) are excellent skaters but don’t play feature roles.
Ironically, former Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg is in the 99th percentile.
Special teams
Team Canada had an extended two-man advantage in the gold medal game, but didn’t get the quality looks expected. A five-on-three power play for 93 seconds should deliver a goal, but the fantastic talent on Canada’s side looked like they hadn’t practised much leading up to the game.
That’s understandable, as the team came together quickly and in-season. The coaches had to prioritize, and criticizing after the fact is poor form. Leaving Bouchard and Zach Hyman off the roster was a choice and could have made a difference through the tournament, but the opportunity was missed.
The Oilers’ problem recently has been on the penalty kill. The PK was impressive early in the year but went sideways in recent weeks. With a few days for the team to practice leading up to the resumption of the NHL schedule, all involved can look to the major lift Team USA enjoyed after killing off two penalties that took place (basically) at the same time. The Oilers could use that kind of attention to detail.
Luck is a thing
It’s important for Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman, coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff (now including Coffey) to work on those outlet passes, better defending and improvement of the penalty kill. This team, despite its flaws, has most of the foundation pieces from the last two finals appearances.
If the club can continue the deep playoff runs, sooner or later, the Oilers will cash the sixth Stanley Cup win in franchise history. Staying in the window to win is the most important thing. At some point, luck may deliver an opponent unable to overcome Edmonton’s talent.
In the meantime, McDavid is going to get some questions about his ability to go supernova in big games that have historic importance. Despite the Olympic disappointment, McDavid remains inevitable. Perhaps a Stanley Cup this spring will change the narrative about Edmonton’s captain. If he’s looking for an example of redemption, he needs look no further than Hellebuyck. He’s a strong comparable for McDavid’s misery in pursuit of championships, and stole one from Canada on Sunday.