McDavid not focused on 100-point pursuit: 'It's a number'
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid isn't getting lost in all the hoopla of pursuing 100 points this season despite the chase being the talk of the league.
"Personally, I want to continue to play good hockey," McDavid told NHL.com's Tim Campbell. "Our group wants to continue to play good hockey. We want to go into the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs on a good note. Personally, it's a number. Obviously, it would be kind of different to be able to do it in a shortened season. I'm not going to change anything. I'm just going to keep playing my game, and if I get there, I get there. And if not, whatever."
McDavid leads the league in scoring by a landslide with 87 points. His 1.78 points per game are a personal best and puts him on pace to finish the campaign with 99 points. The Oilers have seven games left in the regular season.
McDavid's career P/GP
| Season | Points per-game |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 1.07 |
| 2016-17 | 1.22* |
| 2017-18 | 1.32* |
| 2018-19 | 1.49 |
| 2019-20 | 1.52 |
| 2020-21 | 1.78* |
* - Led league
No one has reached 100 points through 56 games since Pittsburgh Penguins teammates Mario Lemieux (116) and Jaromir Jagr (104) did it in 1995-96. The feat has only occurred 29 times in NHL history.
Behind McDavid's nightly excellence, the Oilers sit comfortably in second place in the North Division - nine points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs and five points clear of the Winnipeg Jets.
McDavid's next chance to find the scoresheet is Monday versus the Vancouver Canucks, one of four matchups between the two clubs this coming week.