{"id":284698,"date":"2026-04-25T00:53:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T00:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/284698\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T00:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T00:53:08","slug":"oilers-former-coach-comes-back-to-haunt-mcdavid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/284698\/","title":{"rendered":"Oilers Former Coach Comes Back to Haunt McDavid"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

A former Edmonton Oilers coach could be the main reason why the Anaheim Ducks have been able to shut down Connor McDavid.<\/p>\n

The Edmonton Oilers find themselves tied<\/a> at one game apiece with the Anaheim Ducks in their first-round matchup in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.<\/p>\n

While Edmonton managed to get past the Ducks in Game 1, Anaheim came back and took Game 2 on the heels of a gritty effort and an egregious mistake by Connor McDavid.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s been precisely the big issue in the series. The Ducks have been able to contain McDavid. In Game 1, the Oilers won for the first time this season<\/a>, a game in which McDavid did not register a point.<\/p>\n

That was a major accomplishment. Before Game 1 of the NHL playoffs, the Oilers had lost every game in which McDavid had not registered a point. In Game 2, McDavid was again quiet, and the Ducks took the game 6-4.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s a logical explanation for the phenomenon. ESPN\u2019s Greg Wyshynski told insider Jeff Marek what the secret formula is. That formula\u2019s name is Jay Woodcroft.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be the Woody Effect. The, \u2018I know all of the secrets of the Oilers, Mr. Quenneville.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Woodcroft, who was the former head coach in Edmonton, is now an assistant coach in Anaheim. As such, Wyshynski and Marek mused that Woodcroft could be the one providing in-depth, insider knowledge on the Oilers.<\/p>\n

But as Wyshynski pointed out, there\u2019s another crucial factor at play in this series.<\/p>\n

McDavid Seeing a Healthy Dose of Ducks\u2019 Top Blueliners<\/p>\n

Wyshynski made an interesting point about Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville deploying the defensive pair of Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba against the McDavid line. Thus far, it seems to have worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re seeing copious amounts of Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba, who played the most minutes against McDavid in the first two games of the series.\u201d<\/p>\n

That much is true. But what seems confounding is the fact that current Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch hasn\u2019t really found a way to get McDavid away from LaCombe and Trouba.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think that Kris Knoblauch would be more adept at maybe getting him away from that matchup, if they are in fact winning it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d think that Kris Knoblauch would be more adept at getting [Connor McDavid] away from [the Jackson LaCombe & Jacob Trouba] matchup.\u201d
\n@JeffMarek<\/a> & @wyshynski<\/a> wonder if Jay Woodcroft is the reason McDavid has been neutralized through two games<\/p>\n

Presented by Ninja Kitchen <\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it seems the Oilers have not found a way to release McDavid from the grip of the Ducks\u2019 best defensive pair. That situation, however, will need to change if Edmonton wants to get past the Ducks this series.<\/p>\n

Ducks Betting on Oilers Depth Beating Them<\/p>\n

Opponents of highly talented teams like the Oilers essentially have a choice. Such teams have to pick their poison. In this series, the Ducks have chosen to stop McDavid, forcing Edmonton\u2019s depth to step up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While that\u2019s been the case, the Oilers\u2019 depth hasn\u2019t made up for the porous defense. Edmonton managed to squeak past the Ducks in Game 1, but ran out of luck in Game 2. As such, Game 3 will be the most crucial one in the series. If the Ducks managed to continue shutting McDavid down and could pull off a victory, the Oilers could quickly find themselves struggling to catch up.<\/p>\n

Things should only get more complicated for Knoblauch in Anaheim as the Ducks get the last change. That situation means there will be an even smaller chance for McDavid to get away from Trouba and LaCombe.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tNestor Quixtan<\/a> Seasoned NHL and NFL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball, football, and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

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