Knoblauch Sarcastically Credits Odd Source for McDavid Breakout

Edmonton, AB – After a dominant 9-4 victory against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, known for his playmaking abilities, sarcastically credited an unusual source for his recent offensive surge: media criticism. McDavid scored a hat trick, his 13th career hat trick, and added an assist in the explosive win.

The Oilers' offensive struggles have been a major storyline this season, with the team failing to consistently find the back of the net. McDavid, who has often prioritized passing, especially to Leon Draisaitl, admitted he took the recent criticism to heart.

"I thought I passed a couple away the other night, and ultimately it cost us," McDavid stated. "Definitely thought about shooting a little bit more."

The decision to shoot more paid off handsomely against the Kraken, as McDavid showcased his elite scoring ability with three goals, including an eye-catching angle shot off a long rebound that he compared to his first career hat trick goal in Dallas.

"You guys might think I'm crazy, but the only one that I can remember like that would have been my first hat-trick goal in Dallas," McDavid said. "Yes, it shoots it and but I remember that stuff, but similar similar a little bit, but yeah, definitely a unique one."

Oilers' coach Kris Knoblauch, while pleased with McDavid's performance, couldn't resist poking fun at the situation. When asked about the captain's offensive outburst, Knoblauch quipped, "Yeah, I guess we have the media to thank for this one. Connor reads everything, apparently."

The Oilers' nine-goal performance was a team effort, with 11 players finding their way onto the scoresheet. Leon Draisaitl contributed a goal and three assists, while Matt Savoie added two goals. McDavid acknowledged the importance of the team's collective offensive confidence. "You know, I feel like you know, we haven't really had that all year," McDavid said. "So, feels good to get a couple as a group, and hopefully guys are feeling good about themselves, and we can build on it."

With McDavid and Draisaitl now having a combined 503 career goals, they are trailing only four other legendary NHL duos. The Oilers are hoping that this offensive explosion marks a turning point in their season as they try to rediscover their identity.

McDavid also has the 2026 Winter Olympics circled in red. He admitted the last packed calendar wore him down and said he'll have to manage his workload better if he wants to stay sharp all season.

The Oilers have put together five strong efforts in their last six games and McDavid believes they are trending upward. "Nice to score some goals and feel good about ourselves," McDavid said. "It's been a grind finding wins, so nice to put a good one together."