Connor McDavid Playoff Performance

[Kale Hulls]

I know it's only one game in, but this thread is going to be made eventually and its better to start early on so we can see how opinion changes as the playoffs advance.


So I'll start off and say that he was terrible in his first NHL playoff hockey game. He didn't drive the net or run plays like we all know he can; he was playing a perimeter game and was dishing the puck like it was a hot potato. Really hope he can bounce back from this poor performance.

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[ovikovy817]

This is going to be fun

 

[Alwalys]

So I'll start off and say that he was terrible in his first NHL playoff hockey game. He didn't drive the net or run plays like we all know he can; he was playing a perimeter game and was dishing the puck like it was a hot potato. Really hope he can bounce back from this poor performance.

I don't know that he can do it in the playoffs.

I mean he probably can, but I don't know that he can.

 

[Laineux]

That is a gross overstatement. He didn't have a good game, but the whole Oilers were just badly outmatched for most of the game.

He actually had breakaways and beat Burns by driving the net and almost scored on backhand.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

It's been one game LOL

 

[bob27]

Chiarelli will be on the phone looking for a package deal this summer. Can't have 20-year old kids not showing up in playoffs like that.

 

[Bastulon]

I know it's only one game in, but this thread is going to be made eventually and its better to start early on so we can see how opinion changes as the playoffs advance.


So I'll start off and say that he was terrible in his first NHL playoff hockey game. He didn't drive the net or run plays like we all know he can; he was playing a perimeter game and was dishing the puck like it was a hot potato. Really hope he can bounce back from this poor performance.

>he didn't drive the net
Have you watched many Edmonton games? He had his few breakaways, had his PP point.

It was a pretty standard McDavid game minus the special teams bull the refs decided to pull

It was actually Draisaitl who had the bad game on that line. Maroon wasn't great but he's hurt and I can't complain now after a heathy top six all season.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Its been one game

 

[Kale Hulls]

Its been one game

And that was just one post, but I have a pretty good idea what the rest of your posts are going to look like based on this one.

Can we please talk about the subject at hand? I started off by saying that I know that he's only one game in, can we stop repeating that and judge his performance?

 

[SwollenGoat]

He's a bust.

 

[crump]

And that was just one post, but I have a pretty good idea what the rest of your posts are going to look like based on this one.

Can we please talk about the subject at hand? I started off by saying that I know that he's only one game in, can we stop repeating that and judge his performance?

I'll put it another way. Small sample size. You should be judging the teams performance in the game. Which by all accounts was typical of a young teams first game in the playoffs. I know you said it was one game, and I know it was one game. Impossible to judge his overall playoffs performance yet. Is this even thread worthy?

 

[Daeni10]

I think he will need to learn to be a bit more versatile in his playstyle and will need some time to adjust to playoff hockey. Obviously he is an elite player regardless, but that is obviously not the standard of players like McDavid or Crosby. I think that is something that will come with age. At the moment he has this speed element to his game that nobody can match, but it is easier to shut this down to some extend in the playoffs, especially because stuff like hooking and holding is way more common. I think that this is Crosbys greatest strength in the playoffs, that he can score on so many different ways, can play a great defensive game and can adjust to pretty much anything. And it might not show on the scoreboard, but he is helping the team out so so much. But he took some time and so will McDavid. He will add more stuff to his game so he doesn't rely on his speed game as much and will become even more valuable regardless of scoring.
So just give him some time until he can figure some stuff out and work on his game. He is 20 years old and playoffs are really different from regular season hockey. Even a generational player needs some time to adjust.

 

[MastuhNinks]

He definitely had his rushes and chances he just didn't score. Moved the puck well all night, solid if unspectacular game. I guess with McDavid if he doesn't provide fireworks people think he's terrible but that simply isn't the case.

 

[A1LeafNation]

He looked overwhelmed

 

[MrDiddlez]

He's a meat and potatoes defensive forward

 

[hohosaregood]

It seems like McDavid's a little reliant on scoring during transition, at least based on that game.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

If he was this bad in the first game, just imagine how bad he could have been if it was his first ever NHL playoff game on a very young team that hadn't ever been to the playoffs during most of the lineup's entire careers. Especially if he was like some big star, or one of the youngest captains in the game's history with heavy expectations set upon him. I can only imagine that some jitters combined with never having experienced the playoff atmosphere, or the ramped up intensity that a veteran team like the Sharks who made if all the way to the SCF last year would bring, could only have made his game worse. Good thing none of this stuff applies and we can get a good, honest assessment.

 

[ruunto71*]

he's good but he's no Kessel

 

[Thread The Needle]

It's fine, because the real best player (Lucic) played great!

 

[Holymakinaw]

LOL. He was fine.

But Edmonton will likely lose this series, and McDavid won't be quite the monster he was in the regular season. The post season is a different animal altogether, and he will get shut down, if San Jose is worth their salt at all.

I predict a quick first round exit for the Oilers. But that's okay. They've finally turned the corner, and have a great young player who is learning what post season hockey is all about. They'll(and he) will be faring much better, soon enough.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

It seems like McDavid's a little reliant on scoring during transition, at least based on that game.

I think so too. He had a couple of breaks throughout the game but for the most part the Sharks had the neutral zone on lock down.

The thing is talents like McDavid will always find a way. This is an adjustment period for him in his playoff debut.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

]Chiarelli [/B]will be on the phone looking for a package deal this summer. Can't have 20-year old kids not showing up in playoffs like that.

His on the job GM training in Boston hopefully taught him to get at least some practice pucks in return for elite talent.

Looks like the Bruins are almost recovered for that disaster named Peter Chiarelli

 

[Pi]

If he was this bad in the first game, just imagine how bad he could have been if it was his first ever NHL playoff game on a very young team that hadn't ever been to the playoffs during most of the lineup's entire careers. Especially if he was like some big star, or one of the youngest captains in the game's history with heavy expectations set upon him. I can only imagine that some jitters combined with never having experienced the playoff atmosphere, or the ramped up intensity that a veteran team like the Sharks who made if all the way to the SCF last year would bring, could only have made his game worse. Good thing none of this stuff applies and we can get a good, honest assessment.

Exactly. McDavid doesn't have any of these other factors affecting him.

Not a good game for him.

 

[Devilsfan118]

I watched the first period only before falling asleep (damn east coast time difference), but from what I saw he looked dominant early on.

 

[Daishi]

Chiarelli will be on the phone looking for a package deal this summer. Can't have 20-year old kids not showing up in playoffs like that.

McQuaid, Backes, Beleskey and a 2nd for McDavid. Oilers need more character. It's a great deal. I promise.