McDavid Sets Historic Pace as Oilers Start 6-1-1 Under Babcock

Edmonton's early-season success has put Connor McDavid on a historic scoring trajectory, with the Oilers captain leading the NHL through eight games under new coach Mike Babcock. McDavid has recorded 23 points as Edmonton builds a 6-1-1 record, combining individual production with a team-wide emphasis on structured play.

According to NHL.com, the 29-year-old has six goals and 17 assists, collecting at least one point in every game so far. His second five-point performance of the season came Saturday, October 17, when Edmonton defeated the Utah Mammoth 6-2.

Sportsnet reported that McDavid's 23-point total ranks among the strongest opening eight-game performances in league history. Mario Lemieux recorded 27 points in eight games during both the 1995-96 and 1992-93 seasons, while reaching 31 points over the same span in 1988-89.

McDavid has also benefited from additional recovery time after a foot injury sustained during the Western Conference First Round against the Anaheim Ducks. According to NHL.com, Edmonton's playoff elimination in six games marked its earliest postseason exit since 2020-21.

Despite his scoring numbers, McDavid has emphasized the quality of Edmonton's overall performance rather than individual statistics.

"I care more about how the game looks overall, and how it feels out there. It's been good at times, and there's been times where I feel like I can do more and everyone can do more. That's more important," McDavid said.

The Oilers have frequently deployed McDavid alongside fellow center Leon Draisaitl, a decision influenced by injuries to other forwards. Babcock has also used Vasily Podkolzin on the line, and the winger has contributed 14 points through eight games, according to NHL.com.

McDavid credited the team's collective performance for its early results, highlighting the coordination and discipline displayed across the lineup.

"I think the team's just playing well. Anytime the team plays well, you're going to have guys have success, and I think you're seeing that kind of throughout. It's not necessarily on the stat sheet for everybody, but everybody is playing really well, doing things detailed, structured, playing hard, a lot of really good things," McDavid said.

The captain also described the extended run alongside Draisaitl as a valuable opportunity, while acknowledging that the lineup could change as injured players return.

"I think Leo and I, when we did play together it was just a one-off or a situation where we needed to find one and we knew it wasn't necessarily a long-term thing. So, to be able to have a stretch of games playing together -- who knows what happens moving forward -- but playing together has been so much fun, obviously, along with (Podkolzin) and (Mattias Ekholm) and (Evan Bouchard). I've said all along being out there with those guys, everybody knows where each other is, everybody has been reading off each other, playing fast, and everybody can make a play. It's a pretty fun group to be out there with," McDavid said.

Babcock, who returned from retirement to coach Edmonton, has focused on establishing consistent standards rather than making McDavid's scoring total the primary measure of progress. The coach highlighted the captain's plus-19 rating as evidence of his impact beyond offensive production.

"Well, I like the plus-19, so that would be the focus for me. You're playing against good people and you're doing things, obviously 5-on-5, to dominate the game. (McDavid and Draisaitl) are playing together and they're playing well, and (Podkolzin) is a real good player who gives them the dimension just like (Zach Hyman) would give them," Babcock said.

The coach also praised McDavid's leadership, pointing to the example he sets for teammates through his daily conduct. Babcock previously won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2007-08 and Olympic gold medals with Canada in 2010 and 2014.

"I just think he's a real good player, but what he is is a better person, a better man, and he drives his teammates not by what he says because you get confused with leadership -- it's not what you say, it's what you do. It's what you model each and every day, and he does it right," Babcock said.

Edmonton's defensive performance has also improved following its first two games. Sportsnet reported that the Oilers allowed an average of 1.83 goals per game across their subsequent stretch, ranking second in the NHL over that period.

Babcock said the team's immediate priority remains consistent execution in practices and games as the players learn his system.

"What I'm trying to have a standard that's an Edmonton Oilers standard, and this is the way we play. This is what we do, and this is how we can be successful. We're building our game; we're early in it.

I try not to get too excited and I try not to get too down. I just try to get ready for the next day. We want to win today and then we can win tomorrow.

We have to win today by having a good practice and that's kind of our focus, and we're doing the same with those guys," Babcock said.

The Oilers began a five-game homestand at Rogers Place against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, October 20, with a matchup against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes scheduled for Thursday.