Simply put, if Connor McDavid doesn’t find his game, it’s lights out in Edmonton. When McDavid is just OK as he has been — by his standards — all season long, it seems like the team follows suit.

If Connor McDavid is going to hold his place among the true greats, goals like the one he scored Thursday are a prerequisite. By rising to the moment for his country, McDavid showed what separates good from great.

There is a saying that has made its way around Edmonton since Connor McDavid was drafted that “anyone could score X number of goals alongside 97”. A fourth liner. An AHL player. My Grandma. My Dog. But just having just watched the Four Nations Face-Off tournament where Canada had a roster full of elite-level wingers at their disposal,

Something’s up with the Oilers captain. Connor McDavid hasn’t been himself as of late. His game looks off and his numbers only amplify the point. It’s been a stretch of eight ugly games for No.

The Edmonton Oilers were without captain Connor McDavid when they hit the ice Monday in Tampa Bay. McDavid’s absence was likely due to him resting, Oilers TV’s Tony Brar posted on social media.

Slings helper Sunday