Okay, let’s do a little word association to start off this article. When we ask who is the best skater in the NHL right now, who immediately comes to mind?
Maybe reigning Skills Competition fastest skater Mat Barzal. Maybe well-known speedster Dylan Larkin. We’re thinking you almost definitely thought of Connor McDavid.
McDavid terrorizes his opposition with his insane acceleration and breakaway speed. Once he finds some space, he’s nearly impossible to stop. If his teammates comments following Sunday’s practice are even slightly true, the rest of the league should be absolutely terrified.
Via NHL.com:
"We were saying on the bench, it looks like he got faster over the break," forward Tyler Ennis said. "He's flying. He's been playing great."
Imagine an even faster McDavid? How could you possibly even stop him? We did see one practice clip of McDavid breaking away, before gently depositing the puck into the net with his soft hands.
While other players are claiming that they are still getting into the rhythm, Ennis seems to think McDavid has improved. It wasn’t just him that said so, either. Multiple Oilers made similar statements.
Via NHL.com:
"Connor, there is a reason why he's the best player in the world," Oilers forward Riley Sheahan said. "It almost looked like he gained a step this whole time. He's amazing and he's fun to watch out there. He's looking sharp out there."
"I think the break was probably good for him," Edmonton coach Dave Tippett said. "He's come back, he looks fresh. Before the break, he was battling some illness. Now, he looks fresh, he looks motivated and ready to go. I'm fortunate our leadership crew have come back and their mindset is very good. They want to make sure they are ready to play, and Connor has come back and is leading the way."
"I don't think he's missed a step," Oilers forward Josh Archibald said. "He's stayed on top of things obviously. He's been really good."
Watch out, league.
