NHL EDGE stats behind McDavid’s historic start for Oilers

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we look at three advanced stats storylines behind Connor McDavid’s historic start for the Edmonton Oilers.

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Connor McDavid is off to the best start of his illustrious NHL career for the Edmonton Oilers, and his advanced metrics are fueling what could be one of the highest-scoring seasons in history.

The Oilers captain became the fastest player in NHL history to reach 30 assists in a season (15 games), besting the previous mark set by Wayne Gretzky (16 games in 1984-85). The 29-year-old is on pace for 218 points in 84 games, which would exceed Gretzky's current single-season scoring record (215 in 1985-86). McDavid also extended his NHL-record season-opening assist streak to 15 games against the New York Rangers on Nov. 1. He also scored his eighth opening-minute goal of his career Sunday, surpassing Mark Messier (seven) for the most in Oilers history. McDavid reached a top skating speed of 22.79 mph while skating through all three zones on that goal, the fastest burst resulting in a goal this season.

McDavid, who has nine 100-point seasons in his career (third most in history behind Gretzky’s 15, Mario Lemieux’s 10), had his highest point total in 2022-23 (153). McDavid also ranks third in history (minimum 100 games played) in career regular-season points per game (1.56) behind Gretzky (1.92) and Lemieux (1.88). Gretzky, meanwhile, had four 200-point seasons, all with the Oilers, and is the only player in NHL history to accomplish that feat.

McDavid looks to add to his trophy case this season; he is a six-time Art Ross Trophy winner (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026), three-time Hart Trophy winner (2017, 2021, 2023), and also won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy once (2023) and Conn Smythe Trophy (2024; when Oilers lost to Florida Panthers in Stanley Cup Final).

Here are three EDGE stats storylines surrounding McDavid’s torrid start:

1. Skating speed, goals off rush

McDavid leads the entire NHL in both 22-plus mph speed bursts (34) and 20-plus bursts (132) this season; during the NHL’s puck and player tracking era, he leads the League in both of those categories.

NHL EDGE IQ insights: McDavid has scored eight of his nine goals this season off the rush (within five seconds of puck crossing offensive blue line); his only other goal was an empty-net goal. The only other player with more than five off-the-rush goals this season is Tage Thompson (six).

McDavid also leads the NHL in 18-20 mph speed bursts (199) and is tied for third in max skating speed (24.01) behind St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg (24.26) and his Oilers teammate Kasperi Kapanen (24.05).

2. Goals by location

McDavid ranks in the 96th percentile among forwards in mid-range shots on goal (17), mid-range goals (three) and high-danger goals (four). As a team, the Oilers are tied for the League lead in high-danger goals (32 in 15 games) with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes (32 in 16 games each).

The Oilers are the only team in the NHL with four players scoring at least eight goals this season: Leon Draisaitl (12; tied for second behind Kirill Kaprizov’s 15), McDavid, Vasily Podkolzin (nine each; tied for 11th) and Evan Bouchard (eight; leads defensemen). The Hurricanes are the only other team to have three players with at least eight goals (Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, Mark Jankowski). McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard have now combined for 93 points this season, the most by a trio of teammates through 15 games over the past 30 years (since 1996-97). 

McDavid has played mostly on a line with Draisaitl, who’s averaging nearly two points per game (1.87; second in NHL) this season, and Podkolzin under new coach Mike Babcock this season. McDavid and Draisaitl have also been fixtures on the first power play with Bouchard, who’s on pace for his first 100-point season (1.73 points per game; third in entire NHL) and has emerged as the Norris Trophy front-runner.

3. Playmaking

McDavid is the eighth player in League history with a 15-game assist streak at any point of a season and the first since Patrick Kane (17 games with Chicago Blackhawks in 2018-19). McDavid also leads the NHL with 23 primary assists, nearly double the next-highest skater (Draisaitl with 12) and has factored in on 61.9 percent of Edmonton’s goals (39 of 63; most of any player this season).

McDavid has also thrived in terms of offensive zone time percentage (percentage of time that the puck spends in the offensive zone while the player is on the ice and the game clock is running); he ranks tied for sixth in the entire NHL in that category at all strengths (49.2) and tied for eighth at even strength (48.0). This has translated to his NHL-leading totals in both power-play points (15; all assists) and even-strength points (23) this season.

With the recent injury return of top-six forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (seven points in six games), McDavid has a chance to sustain his pace for at least 200 points. McDavid, who’s still seeking his first Stanley Cup title, has the new wrinkles of Babcock (won Stanley Cup with Detroit Red Wings in 2008) and improved team goaltending. On top of the steady play of Tristan Jarry (back-to-back shutouts), the Oilers are expected to eventually get Devon Levi and veteran Frederik Andersen (won Cup with Hurricanes last season) back from injuries.