Some Toronto sports media influencers are taking a break from their critical dual focus on holding to account Donald Trump’s presidency and conducting loyalty tests for American players on their beloved Maple Leafs. For one day at least they’re again fixated on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

The results are predictably hilarious, most notably a rant from long-time Toronto media personality Sid Seixeiro. In his outburst, Seixeiro complains about the trades Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman made at the trade deadline and imagines what’s going on inside of Connor McDavid’s head.

Seixeiro put on his most serious face to look into the camera and say: “This is a big year with Connor McDavid. Stan Bowman’s move was Tristan Jarry and picking up three players from his former team, one of the worst in hockey, who combined, are a minus 25 this season combined. (Connor)  Murphy, not as much. I actually don’t mind Murphy. It’s the other two (forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach). I don’t understand.”

Seixeiro then went into full mind-reading mode, telling us of the emotional state of Stan Bowman’s management team. “The Oilers are panicking here, panicking, and I’m going to go down a road that I know I’m going to regret, but I mean it, and this pains me to say of a Canadian market: I think Connor McDavid screwed up. Stan Bowman is not the guy to lead Edmonton to anything. And Connor McDavid giving them that discount was a mistake. He should have hit the market. I hate saying that. Bowman has lost it. They are panicking as a group. (Team president) Jeff Jackson, (coach Kris) Knoblauch, everybody. They are panicking. They don’t know what to do. Connor McDavid, in his quiet moments, might be thinking that.”

In Edmonton, McDavid himself was asked what he thought about the latest trade, with defensive centre Jason Dickinson, who has been put on the ice for the second most difficult quality of competition of any centre in the NHL this year, and rugged fourth-line forward Colton Dach coming in, and Andrew Mangiapane and a first round pick in 2027 heading out.”

Of Dickinson, McDavid said, “Definitely a guy I played a lot against over the years, and a guy that’s always tough to play against. You know, defends well… He skates well and he’s rangy and he’s always just kind of there… You know, that’s obviously annoying to play against.”

Asked about the deadline moves, McDavid said, “Yeah, very happy with the moves. I think all the guys we brought in, all three of them from Chicago, there are good, good ads. Obviously, Murph with his size. And, you know, defends hard. And same with, with Dickinson and Dach, obviously, young guy that you know plays physical, plays an edge and still trying to find his way in this league. It’s a lot of potential. So I like all I like all three.”

My take

1. The Leafs are on the outside of the playoff race and no doubt everyone in Toronto is tired of beating up on team captain Auston Matthews for having the audacity to visit the White House in celebration of Team USA winning a rare Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey.

Not so much to talk about there, so they might as well go back to imagining what’s in Stan Bowman and Connor McDavid’s minds and speculating on that.

2. I’ll suggest that most of us have almost no idea what is going on in the mind of an athlete as driven and accomplished as Connor McDavid. I know that I don’t know.

But does Seixeiro realize that?  That he’s almost certainly got no clue about McDavid’s psychological makeup?

If Seixeiro’s name ringgs a bell, you recal his comment after Winnipeg beat Edmonton in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. “Connor McDavid’s not going to put up with this much longer.”

Seixeiro couldn’t read McDavid’s mind then and he can’t read it now, five years later.

He comes off as if he’s completely certain in his rant, but that’s what makes for the hilarity, a man in a distant city with little or no understanding of McDavid, the Oilers and Stan Bowman, telling us with such certainty that McDavid has made a mistake and then sharing his hallucination that McDavid might just agree with his assessment.

I don’t know what to make of this, other than: Bravo, Sid Seixeiro!

You’ve set a new high bar in Toronto sports commentary, one that will be difficult to beat, even by fearsome competitors such as The Globe’s Cathal Kelly and The Star’s Damien Cox.

3. Seixeiro would be a much firmer ground simply critiquing the moves of Bowman this year, some of which have turned out well, some of which have turned out poorly. As for Bowman acting in a panic, there’s no doubt that there’s immense pressure to fix a team that is playing poorly just now and to compete for Stanley Cups in Connor McDavid’s prime.

Bowman did help put together a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last year, but Edmonton’s now in a fight just to make the playoffs. There’s plenty to critique about Bowman’s work, how the team has been coached, and the defensive failings on the team from its best to its weakest players.

But Stan Bowman in a panic? Have you ever seen a Bowman interview? He comes across in every single one as the most measured, analytical, unemotional manager you’ll find.

Brian Burke he ain’t.

But, again, he did help build an Oilers team last year that won three tough playoff series. As for this year, I’ll keep my powder dry and judge the team and Bowman’s trade acquisitions when the season is over.

At the Cult of Hockey

LEAVINS: Oilers appear “done” ahead of the NHL Trading Deadline