In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, Connor McDavid is on the verge of 1000 points. He almost got there on Tuesday. Will he get there Thursday versus Nashville? Meanwhile, is Jeff Skinner in the dog house with the coaching staff? His minutes were the lowest of the season and things aren’t trending in the right direction. Finally, former Oilers’ general manager Ken Holland took a new job with the NHL. What is he doing?
Connor McDavid Set to Make History, Just One Point Away from 1,000 in NHL Career
Connor McDavid stands on the brink of a historic milestone, needing just one more point to reach 1,000 in his already legendary NHL career. After a dazzling four-point performance against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, McDavid is set to become the fourth-fastest player in league history to hit the 1,000-point mark, doing so in just 659 games.
Only Wayne Gretzky (424 games), Mario Lemieux (513 games), and Mike Bossy (656 games) have accomplished the feat faster. Remarkably, McDavid’s journey will join some of hockey’s most iconic names, emphasizing his generational talent.
Despite the buzz surrounding his impending achievement, McDavid is staying grounded. “Nothing has happened yet,” he reminded reporters. “One more to go.” His focus remains on the task ahead, with Thursday night’s game against the Nashville Predators providing the stage for him to make history.
Teammate Leon Draisaitl praised McDavid, calling him “the greatest player to ever play” and acknowledging the immense impact McDavid has had on the game. The question on Thursday becomes, how quickly can McDavid get to his 1000th point so the team can focus on winning the matchup?
Jeff Skinner Trending in the Wrong Direction
Jeff Skinner’s struggles continue to be a point of frustration for the Edmonton Oilers, with a season-low in minutes being one of the clear signs that things aren’t right. With a full no-move clause, there are no options to trade or demote him and the Oilers likely aren’t at that point yet. Still, head coach Kris Knoblauch has taken steps to address the issue, reducing Skinner’s ice time as he waits for the winger to break out of his slump.
Related: 3 Takeaways From the Oilers’ Overtime Victory Against the Islanders
During the Oilers’ 4-3 overtime victory against the New York Islanders, Skinner played a season-low 8:53. A critical mistake on an aggressive play against Ryan Pulock, it was an exclamation mark on an otherwise tough night. Skinner finished with a minus-1 rating and has managed just three goals and three assists this season.
Skinner was projected to easily surpass 20 goals this year. With multiple 30-goal seasons under his belt his pace of production is not where it needs to be.
Ken Holland Takes Job with the NHL
The NHL confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that former Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland has taken a job with the league as a Hockey Operations Consultant. “We are delighted to welcome Ken to NHL Hockey Operations, where he will provide invaluable insight from his decades in the game as a player, scout and executive.” NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell added in a statement, “He offers unmatched expertise in a wide range of areas.”
Holland was largely responsible for getting the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season but his contract expired at the end of the run and CEO Jeff Jackson and the rest of the Oilers ownership group chose to go a different direction. The belief was that Holland wanted a more cushy job, getting the chance to spend more time with his family.