EDMONTON — There are hot starts, there are dominant stretches, and then there is whatever Connor McDavid has been doing through the opening weeks of the 2026-27 NHL season.
Nine games into his 12th NHL campaign, the Edmonton Oilers captain is producing offense at a rate that has become almost impossible to comprehend. The three-time Hart Trophy winner has already accumulated 26 points, including an astonishing 20 assists, putting himself on a scoring pace rarely witnessed in the modern era.
For a player who has spent the better part of a decade redefining offensive excellence, McDavid is somehow finding new ways to separate himself from the rest of the league.
His latest performance came Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, when McDavid recorded three assists in Edmonton’s 4-3 overtime victory. His final assist, which set up Evan Bouchard’s game-winning goal, established an NHL record for the most assists through the first nine games of a season.
The remarkable achievement adds another chapter to a career already filled with historic milestones. More importantly, it raises a question that seemed almost unreasonable entering the season: Could McDavid be putting together the greatest offensive campaign of his career? (Sportsnet)
A Scoring Pace the NHL Hasn’t Seen Since Mario Lemieux
Before Tuesday’s victory over Minnesota, McDavid had already established himself as the NHL’s runaway scoring leader.
Through Edmonton’s first eight games, the 29-year-old had recorded six goals and 17 assists for 23 points, averaging an extraordinary 2.88 points per game.
To put those numbers into perspective, no NHL player had produced as many points through his first eight games of a season since Mario Lemieux recorded 27 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1995-96 campaign.
That was 31 seasons ago.
McDavid’s 17 assists through eight games also matched the historic opening stretches of Lemieux in 1995-96 and Wayne Gretzky in 1986-87, placing Edmonton’s current superstar alongside two of the most prolific offensive players in hockey history.
Tuesday’s three-assist performance pushed him beyond those legendary marks, giving McDavid sole possession of the NHL record with 20 assists through nine games.
It is the type of statistical achievement that illustrates just how extraordinary his opening weeks have been.
McDavid also became the second-fastest player in NHL history to reach 20 points in a season, trailing only Lemieux, who accomplished the feat in seven games during the 1995-96 season.
The comparisons to Gretzky and Lemieux are particularly significant considering the dramatic changes in NHL scoring over the past three decades.
Both legends played substantial portions of their careers during eras when offensive production was considerably higher than it has been for much of the modern game. Goaltending techniques, defensive systems and the overall structure of professional hockey have evolved considerably since then.
Yet McDavid is producing numbers that belong in conversations with those historic seasons. (NHL.com) (Edmonton Oilers)
Two Five-Point Performances in Just Eight Games
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of McDavid’s opening stretch is how effortlessly the production appears to be coming.
In Edmonton’s first eight games, McDavid recorded two separate five-point performances, bringing his career total to 16.
His second came Saturday night against the Utah Mammoth, when he scored twice and added three assists in a commanding 6-2 Oilers victory.
McDavid wasted almost no time establishing himself, scoring just 40 seconds into the opening period after receiving a breakaway pass from longtime teammate Leon Draisaitl.
The goal was his seventh career opening-minute tally, tying a franchise record established by Mark Messier.
From there, McDavid continued dismantling Utah’s defense, contributing to five of Edmonton’s six goals and extending his season-opening point streak to eight games.
The performance was especially impressive considering the circumstances.
Utah had defeated Edmonton 4-2 just two nights earlier, handing the Oilers their first regulation loss of the season. Rather than allowing the defeat to develop into a losing streak, Edmonton responded with one of its most complete offensive performances of the young campaign.
And McDavid was at the center of nearly everything.
The five-point outing was another reminder of what makes him such a difficult player to contain. His ability to accelerate through the neutral zone, manipulate defensive coverage and identify passing lanes before they fully develop allows him to create opportunities that simply do not exist for most NHL players.
Opposing defenders frequently find themselves facing an impossible decision: challenge McDavid’s speed and risk surrendering an open passing lane, or protect against the pass and give one of the world’s most dangerous offensive players room to attack.
Either choice can end with the puck in the back of the net. (Edmonton Oilers)
McDavid’s Historic 800th Game Adds to the Remarkable Start
McDavid’s dominance has not been limited to one or two exceptional performances.
On October 13, the Oilers captain appeared in his 800th career NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings, reaching another significant milestone in a career that began when Edmonton selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Naturally, he celebrated by taking over the game.
McDavid recorded a goal and three assists in Edmonton’s 4-1 victory, helping the Oilers remain undefeated in regulation through their first six contests.
His four-point performance pushed his season total to 17 points through six games, the best offensive start of his NHL career at that stage.
The Oilers captain contributed to three first-period goals, including an assist on Draisaitl’s opening tally and another on a Vasily Podkolzin power-play goal.
He later scored on a breakaway, beating Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper with a backhand finish to give Edmonton a commanding three-goal advantage.
By the time the final horn sounded, McDavid had once again demonstrated the difference between an elite offensive player and someone capable of controlling an entire hockey game.
The achievement also reflected his remarkable consistency.
Now more than a decade into his NHL career, McDavid is not simply maintaining the extraordinary standard he established during his early seasons. He continues to improve in areas that make him even more dangerous, particularly his offensive decision-making and ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates. (Reuters)
A New Era Under Mike Babcock
While McDavid’s individual brilliance has dominated headlines, Edmonton’s impressive start has also coincided with a significant change behind the bench.
Veteran head coach Mike Babcock has introduced a more structured approach to the Oilers, emphasizing defensive responsibility, disciplined positioning and consistent execution.
The early results have been encouraging.
Following Tuesday’s victory over Minnesota, Edmonton improved to 7-1-1, establishing itself among the NHL’s strongest teams through the opening weeks.
One of Babcock’s most consequential decisions has been placing McDavid and Draisaitl together on a more consistent basis at even strength.
Although the two superstars have frequently shared the ice throughout their careers, Edmonton has traditionally relied on their ability to anchor separate offensive lines.
This season, Babcock has taken a different approach, creating an exceptionally dangerous top unit alongside Vasily Podkolzin.
The results have been difficult to ignore.
McDavid and Draisaitl possess an almost instinctive understanding of each other’s tendencies, allowing them to execute complicated offensive sequences at remarkable speeds.
Podkolzin has provided an additional scoring threat and physical presence, while defenseman Evan Bouchard continues to contribute offensively from the blue line.
Babcock has also emphasized the importance of McDavid’s impact beyond the scoresheet, particularly his effectiveness at even strength.
Through Edmonton’s first eight games, McDavid carried a remarkable plus-19 rating, an indication that the Oilers were not merely generating offense with their captain on the ice but consistently outscoring their opponents.
For a team that has experienced frustrating postseason exits, developing that type of complete game could prove just as important as McDavid’s individual production. (NHL.com)
Could McDavid Challenge Gretzky’s Untouchable Records?
Whenever a player begins producing at McDavid’s current rate, comparisons to the greatest offensive seasons in NHL history become unavoidable.
Through nine games, McDavid’s 26 points represent an average of approximately 2.89 points per contest.
Maintained across the NHL’s traditional 82-game schedule, that production would translate to approximately 237 points.
That would surpass Wayne Gretzky’s seemingly untouchable single-season record of 215 points, established during the 1985-86 season.
McDavid’s assist production is equally extraordinary.
With 20 assists through nine games, he is averaging more than two assists per contest, a rate that would comfortably surpass Gretzky’s single-season record of 163 assists if sustained over an entire campaign.
Of course, maintaining that production for an entire season would be extraordinarily difficult.
Injuries, defensive adjustments, fatigue and the natural fluctuations of an 82-game schedule make it unlikely that any player could sustain such an exceptional pace indefinitely.
But the fact that McDavid has even entered this conversation is significant.
His previous career high came during the 2022-23 season, when he recorded 64 goals and 89 assists for 153 points, one of the most remarkable offensive campaigns of the salary-cap era.
At the time, 153 points seemed like a modern benchmark that would be difficult to approach.
Three years later, McDavid is producing at a rate that makes even that extraordinary season appear modest.
Whether he can maintain anything close to his current production remains to be seen, but the opening nine games have already established this campaign as one worth following closely. (Sportsnet)
Individual Greatness Means Little Without the Stanley Cup
For all the attention surrounding McDavid’s scoring totals, the Oilers captain has made it clear that his primary concern remains Edmonton’s success.
That perspective is understandable.
McDavid has already accumulated an extraordinary collection of individual achievements, including three Hart Memorial Trophies and multiple Art Ross Trophies. His place among the greatest offensive players of his generation was secured long before this season began.
Yet the Stanley Cup remains the defining team achievement he continues to pursue.
Edmonton entered the 2026-27 campaign looking to recover from a disappointing first-round playoff elimination against the Anaheim Ducks last spring.
For a franchise built around two generational offensive talents in McDavid and Draisaitl, another early postseason exit reinforced the importance of building a team capable of winning in multiple ways.
The Oilers cannot rely exclusively on their stars to outscore every opponent, particularly when the physical demands and defensive intensity increase during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
That is why Edmonton’s improved defensive structure and impressive early record may ultimately prove more significant than any individual scoring milestone.
McDavid’s extraordinary production gives the Oilers an advantage few franchises can replicate. But combining that offensive ability with consistent defensive execution could finally provide the foundation necessary for another deep postseason run.
McDavid Is Reminding the NHL That His Best May Still Be Ahead
Perhaps the most remarkable element of McDavid’s historic opening stretch is that it is happening at a point in his career when most players have already established their statistical ceiling.
At 29 years old, McDavid has accumulated more than a decade of NHL experience, faced nearly every defensive strategy imaginable and endured the physical demands of numerous playoff battles.
Yet he continues finding ways to elevate his game.
His skating remains among the most explosive in hockey. His playmaking ability has become increasingly sophisticated, and his understanding of opposing defensive systems allows him to anticipate opportunities before they develop.
The result is a player who appears to be operating one step ahead of everyone else on the ice.
Nine games do not define an entire season, and McDavid’s current scoring pace will inevitably face challenges as the schedule progresses.
But there is no dismissing what he has already accomplished.
Twenty-six points. Twenty assists. An NHL record. Two five-point performances. And a team that has lost just once in regulation.
For most players, those numbers would represent an outstanding month or even a substantial portion of a season.
For Connor McDavid, they represent just the beginning.
And if the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign are any indication, the NHL may be witnessing the early stages of something truly historic.
