Connor McDavid shows frustration and calls out his team after third straight loss to start the season

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Tom Banks
October 14, 2024 (5:07 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers are meant to be Stanley Cup favourites in 2024/25, but after a winless start to the year, their captain is showing plenty of frustration.

Last year the Edmonton Oilers started slow, but they managed to turn things around and eventually push their season to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, 2024/25 has started just as bad, as the team dropped their third straight game of the season at home, this time to the rival Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta.

Unsurprisingly, this has led to plenty of frustration in the locker room, with captain Connor McDavid revealing what is behind their very slow start to the year, and what the team need to work on moving forward.

We are getting beat in a lot of battles. We're getting beat in a lot of different ways, lamented Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who had one lonely assist and was on the ice on two key Calgary goals - directly at fault for one of them.

Puck play has been bad all over,» McDavid said. Guys fumbling it and not handling passes, (passes) in the air, passes behind guys It's just not good enough in terms of the puck play. When you are not clean with the puck it's tough to get the offence.

Ultimately it hasn't been good enough, McDavid said. Up and down the lineup, myself first and foremost. Everybody could be better and everybody will be better.

While the team started slow last year, it wasn't due to their lack of offense, but through three games, they've managed just three total goals while allowing 15, and if that doesn't change, this team will continue digging themselves a bigger hole. With McDavid and his fellow veterans clearly frustrated to start the year, it's only a matter of time until they'll work their way out of this funk, and when they do, the rest of the NHL will be put on notice as this team looks to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals.