There’s a reflex we all have when we see the Edmonton Oilers relight the scoreboard. We say to ourselves: it can’t possibly continue like this. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on tear again? Enjoy it while it lasts.
At a glance, McDavid, who has 67 points in 38 games and Draisaitl right behind him on 55, feel inherently unstoppable. History teaches us to expect regression. But when you slow down and actually look at how those numbers come together, the Oilers’ offense starts to look less vulnerable than people think.
There are three reasons why.
Reason one: the Oilers’ production is based on usage, not luck
McDavid’s numbers are outrageous, but not poor. He doesn’t have an inflated shooting percentage and doesn’t cash in on soft minutes. He plays 10:37 hours a night. That’s the heaviest workload among the league’s top scorers. He has also fired 128 shots on net with an 18 percent shooting percentage. That’s strong, not cartoonish.
The bottom line is that when the offense comes from volume and responsibility, it tends to stick.
Draisaitl tells the same story. He plays almost 22 minutes a night. Considering his 19 percent shooting percentage and 11 power-play goals come from repeatable habits like positioning, patience and timing, this isn’t luck sneaking in through the back door. This is Edmonton leaning on its stars and getting exactly what it asks for.
If anything, these numbers suggest sustainability because they are expensive. They require effort every night. And the Oilers are paying that price.
Reason two: McDavid and Draisaitl don’t duplicate each other
One of the strengths of Edmonton’s offense right now is that the two engines aren’t doing the same job. McDavid is still the driver with 44 assists. He is constantly on the move, bending the cover until it breaks. Draisaitl is the stabilizer. He slows the game down, punishes mistakes on the power play, and makes sure the offense doesn’t evaporate when there’s no chaos.
This division of labor is important during a long season. When one line or style gets cold, the other carries water. The Oilers aren’t asking both players to be everything at once, and that keeps the offense from becoming brittle.
It also explains why Draisaitl’s value can be hidden in plain sight. His numbers don’t scream dominance, but his impact shows every time Edmonton needs a goal that doesn’t come in a rush.
Reason three: McDavid and Draisaitl’s ice time equates to the team’s confidence
The detail that is often overlooked is that McDavid and Draisaitl – even compared to other top scorers – are used deliberately, not desperately.
Compare their numbers to someone like Nathan MacKinnon, who fires 162 shots in 36 games and carries Colorado through sheer willpower. Edmonton isn’t playing that game. They divide the load within the minutes of the stars, instead of piling everything on one approach.
If the ice time matches the production exactly, it is usually a sign that the coaching staff knows exactly what they are doing. That’s a big reason why this offense doesn’t feel like it’s skating on thin ice. No wonder both McDavid and Draisaitl will be at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the season.
McDavid and Draisaitl’s impact on the team
Sustainable scoring changes everything. It shortens the bank in clever ways. It allows role players to stay in jobs they can actually handle. It keeps the power play from becoming a panic button instead of a weapon.
The most important thing is that when the scorers score, there is peace. Edmonton doesn’t need perfect hockey every night to win. They need their best players to remain who they are – and the numbers suggest that’s not an unreasonable ask.
This is not a sprint built on adrenaline. It’s a long, hard pace from two players who know exactly how much fuel they have left.
People will continue to wait for autumn. That’s natural. But if you’re watching the Oilers closely, the more honest response right now might be simpler than that. This scoring rate seems real. And that should make the rest of the league a little uncomfortable.
Related: Could Oilers’ top line soon form Team Canada’s top line?
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