McDavid is on a serious run to try and break Gretzky's single season playoff assist record

[Fledgemyhedge]

You are assuming that if the Oilers didn't sign those players that they could have had better players sign as FA in Edmonton which simply isn't true due in part to the climate and city for family considerations and travel as older players know the value of less travel.

The Oilers lost to the eventual SC champions last year and at least played to their equal if not outplaying them and look like a really good bet this year as well with some luck as they are good enough and have been over the last 2 seasons.

Heck even 3 seasons ago no one was beating the Avs.

As for the thread like someone said upthread if the Oilers get to the SC final that means at least 6 more games to get 7 to tie and 8 to pass Gretzky all time.

Let that sink in for a minute I'm 56 and thought that record was untouchable.

Crazy considering watching him leaves you wanting more this years playoffs . Testament to how effective/efficient he is

 

[Video Nasty]

59 assists in his past 44 playoff games.

 

[ijuka]

7 assists off?

Very doable if Oilers make the finals.

 

[flying squirrel]

McDavid performing at later stages during NHL playoffs is last needed piece to his legacy. If McDavid keeps preforming during later playoff rounds: he will have stamped his historical ticket as far as I'm concerned. McDavid is such a great player and has ability to take over any game is fun to watch. But until McDavid helps his team overcome 3rd & 4th rd hurtles, his playoff legacy will be tarnished. But if McDavid does preform on biggest playoff stages, he will reach Kucherov playoff levels then.

This is one the many reasons I'm so impressed with Lightning's Kucherov. Kucherov has kept his playoff scoring averages up while playing in 6 ECF's and 4 SCF's (That's 10 playoff series on toughest stage). And for Kucherov to still have high playoff scoring averages after playing so many late playoff rounds is crazy!!! When a NHL player preforms during playoffs matters, when one is looking at who's done what historically during playoffs. Oilers and McDavid have 2 WCF's in 3 yrs time now, the stage has gotten bigger for them. Guessing McDavid has a better understanding how great coaches/players/teams can neutralize anyone in playoffs. But..... if McDavid keeps preforming on playoff biggest stages, and helps lead his team to SCF's, he's done something truly special then.

More than not, it's much tougher to keep playoff scoring averages up later on

• Much tough to score when playing 3rd & 4th round playoff games.
• More than not, it's easier to maintaining awesome scoring averages when feasting on 1st & 2nd rounds NHL teams. (Leafs Mathews is a good example of this)
• Maintaining high playoff scoring average once facing more Championship quality teams is a different animal compared to what player faces in 1st & 2nd rds match-ups.
• Players face better coaching, players, overall defense, hot goalies, and such during conference finals and SCF's.
• Hope McDavid can get over the later round playoff humps, he's a special player that deserves to have those moments.
• We'll see if McDavid and Oilers can do it soon enough. No matter, we're pulling for McDavid to jump those later round playoff hurtles.

 

[Satan]

he could be the greatest player of all time

 

[bobholly39]

McDavid now has 28 points in 16 games.

Assuming Oilers reach the final (and assuming no injuries) - he will play anywhere between 22 games to 26 games these playoffs.

Current PPG paced out to 22 games = 39 points, 33 assists
Current PPG paced out to 26 games = 46 points, 39 assists

Gretzky's all time records is 31 assists, and 47 points (Lemieux is #2 at 44 points, then Gretzky again at 43, 40). So the asssist record is definitely within reach, and so is the point record although that's a taller task.

A lot can happen still - including Oilers being eliminated in 2 games - but if Oilers do reach finals there's a really strong chance he could set an all-time record or two. I know Gretzky did it in less games, so on a per game basis he'd still be above (points per game, for assists per game it's actually close), but this would still be spectacular.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

It would be awesome seeing McDavid breaking the record.
He is certainly doing his part in trying to get his team farther in the playoffs.

 

[wizmet12]

3 assists tonight.

I liked his third "assist". duh.

 

[Calderon]

Wild that Gretzky only had two 20+ game postseasons. The playoff format being best-of-five in the first round until it changed in 1986-87 does play a part but even if you add two games per postseason Gretzky only "gains" one run of 20 and two of 21 games. If the Oilers reach the finals I don't think they play any fewer than 24.

The assist record is still well within reach but it's sort of underwhelming how McDavid seems to have reduced into an elite playmaker with an odd goal once in a while. Will be curious to learn if something's ailing him after the season is over.

 

[Video Nasty]

Time sure flies. His third apple last night got him inside the top 100 all-time in playoff points (#98) and already up to #72 in playoff assists.

He has played just 65 games. The only players ahead of him in assists who have played under 120 games are Lemieux, Linsemann, and Stastny (96 in 107 games, 77 in 113, and 72 in 93 games respectively). He’s tied with Perreault and Drai for points (Drai also has played 65 games). MacKinnon is the only other player ahead in point totals who has played fewer than 100 games (114 in 88).

His 24 assists in this run already rank 11th most in a playoff run.

Playing in the Finals puts Gretzky’s single run assists and points records in jeopardy and sees him likely move up about 30 spots in both assists and points.

Have thought it from the start, but we seem to be getting closer to him cementing his spot as #5 all-time within just a few weeks.

 

[barbu]

I wonder how Mulletman feels now that one of his parody posts might actually come true.

 

[richo]

This gives me much more reason to root for Dallas.

 

[gotcha90]

McDavid now holds the #10 spot all time (behind 9 Gretzky seasons) for most assists in a season including playoffs.

NHL Records

A huge achievement cracking into the top 10 on a Gretzky assist record held for 30 years - could move up another few spots as well.

 

[blundluntman]

Time sure flies. His third apple last night got him inside the top 100 all-time in playoff points (#98) and already up to #72 in playoff assists.

He has played just 65 games. The only players ahead of him in assists who have played under 120 games are Lemieux, Linsemann, and Stastny (96 in 107 games, 77 in 113, and 72 in 93 games respectively). He’s tied with Perreault and Drai for points (Drai also has played 65 games). MacKinnon is the only other player ahead in point totals who has played fewer than 100 games (114 in 88).

His 24 assists in this run already rank 11th most in a playoff run.

Playing in the Finals puts Gretzky’s single run assists and points records in jeopardy and sees him likely move up about 30 spots in both assists and points.

Have thought it from the start, but we seem to be getting closer to him cementing his spot as #5 all-time within just a few weeks.

I'm at a point where I'm heavily considering placing him in the top 5 if he takes home a cup and a generational conn smythe after this post-season is over with. He's only played 12 fewer games than Orr now and his peak is comfortably above anybody outside the Big 4 and has a very good argument for being above Howe's. A Lemieux/Gretzky level smythe win and a cup makes his resume damn near undeniable in discussions against other top 5 candidates afaic. The wall's definitely on the verge of cracking.

 

[Video Nasty]

I'm at a point where I'm heavily considering placing him in the top 5 if he takes home a cup and a generational conn smythe after this post-season is over with. He's only played 12 fewer games than Orr now and his peak is comfortably above anybody outside the Big 4 and has a very good argument for being above Howe's. A Lemieux/Gretzky level smythe win and a cup makes his resume damn near undeniable in discussions against other top 5 candidates afaic. The wall's definitely on the verge of cracking.

It’s no surprise, but I firmly agree.

If he leads the Oilers to a Cup, wins the Smythe, and puts up 40-48 points this postseason, we should be just about at or very close to the point where he would have done enough, considering that (as mentioned), Orr played 657 games and Mario was already enshrined before he even played his last season before retirement in 1996-1997 and 745 games.

I’m really in no rush to crown what seems inevitable at this point (I think he’ll be ironclad inside the new Big Five by a nearly universal margin before he turns 30), but even without a Cup, McDavid’s resume through 9 seasons is really only matched or exceeded by those four players. With a Cup makes him belong and begins the new journey where he further builds his case to be convincingly argued against those few players still ahead of him.

Hopefully tonight is another step closer.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

McDavid is already up to 18 primary assists. Only one player, in all of NHL history, has recorded more primary assists in a single playoff run (Gretzky obviously - he had 25 primary assists, twice).

 

[Matty Sundin]

Don’t even think mcdavid cares or even realizes it.

 

[NVious]

I wonder how Mulletman feels now that one of his parody posts might actually come true.

Just ask McDavid how he feels, then you'll know how Mulletman feels.

 

[Panthaz89]

Wild that Gretzky only had two 20+ game postseasons. The playoff format being best-of-five in the first round until it changed in 1986-87 does play a part but even if you add two games per postseason Gretzky only "gains" one run of 20 and two of 21 games. If the Oilers reach the finals I don't think they play any fewer than 24.

The assist record is still well within reach but it's sort of underwhelming how McDavid seems to have reduced into an elite playmaker with an odd goal once in a while. Will be curious to learn if something's ailing him after the season is over.

I mean some of the assists are clearly teams selling out to stop him and leaving others open since guys are cheating over to cover him.

 

[Mulletman]

Well McDavid is pretty much guaranteed to break the assist record now! Worst case scenario he breaks just Gretzky's record for most assists in a playoff round while not winning the cup, 26 assists back in 1982-83 for Gretzky. McDavid needs only 1 assist to break that. And if he loses the cup finals he's also breaking Gilmours single season record for most points in a playoff run while not winning the cup. History will be made no matter what!

 

[crowfish]

McDavid's alltime ranking depending on the outcome of the SCF:

He puts up a legendary performance and they win the Cup (40+ pts, Conn Smythe, all time assist record) = 3rd all-time

He puts up an average performance and they win the Cup = 5th all-time

Legendary performance and they lose the cup = 5th all-time

Average performance and they lose the cup = 6th all-time