Something at that All Star Game lit him in fire. Maybe confidence from realizing he’s just as good as those guys, maybe barely making the All Star cut made him want to prove he belongs. But yeh I agree with your assessment, he’s been on another level since lately, and I’d pinpoint it to right after he came back from the break.
I think the players play is not well understood.
In the absence of 3 of our D Drai was much more having to comeback on D, cover for D, spend too much time mired in own zone, it taxed so much of his energy having to overbattle in own zone just for the team to survive some games. Suddenly we have all D on tap, we have some additional talent in lineup like Gagner and Currie and we have a modicum more line depth. Makes it somewhat easier.
But as I've stated many times now Drai started a meteoric run December 6 2018 that has continued unabated and really with not too much change in pace in production. I voice this due to the many people this season, who crapped all over this player for the vast majority of the season. Whereas there was probably no reason for that.
Look at his splits or his game to game results. He's been incredible consistent at this pace for a long time.
Drai did have a bit of extra jump after allstar game but due to getting a bit of rest. He's overworked here always. Again last night he got the most minutes of any forward and in a 4-0 win. Those minutes need to be drawn back but coach is showing who he is trusting every night, and this has been the case all season, and with two coaches.
Finally, both McD and Drai light up some afterburners at this stage of the season because they can see the end at some point. Both are wise and inclined to not want to burn all their rockets too early in a season and players have been known to do that, look at Rantanen, or any of the Bruins, etc. With McDrai they leave some and usually have more noticeable jump later in years. Drais more mesmerizing plays typical would take place in playoffs or in last quarter of seasons.
NHL season is an endurance race. If it was a 50 game season still you would see much different performances from McDrai every game. Its not really humanly possible to deliver much more than they do. To wit nobody does it. No players are truly better than this.