Connor McDavid is frustrated. Yes, the Edmonton Oilers 2025-26 season to date has played a part in that. Thought of as true Stanley Cup contenders once again entering the season, they have limped to a 36-28-9 record. If it weren’t for playing in the Pacific Division, they’d be scrapping it out for a wild-card position. They sit 17th in the NHL standings, proving just how disappointing things have been as of late.
That said, the Oilers’ inconsistencies this season are far from the only thing that has their captain frustrated. In fact, it’s likely much, much lower on his list of grievances. Keep in mind, this is a player who, by the end of his career, hopes to be remembered as one of the best to ever play the game. In order to do that, and as he’s well aware, you have to win.
McDavid has come about as close as humanly possible to doing so. He helped lead the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. That loss had to have torn him apart, but rather than hang his head, he continued his dominance and got the Oilers back to the Cup Final for a second straight year. Yet again, the result didn’t go his way, as he and his teammates fell to the Florida Panthers in a six-game series.
Perhaps the one silver lining of that second Stanley Cup loss was the fact that McDavid was set to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It served as a great opportunity for him to win on a massive stage, similar to what he was able to do at the 4 Nations Face-Off. That once again failed to be the case, however, as Canada fell to the US in the gold medal game.
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So, for those keeping track, that marks the third soul-crushing loss for McDavid in less than a three-year span. For someone who wants nothing more than to win, it’s hard to even fathom just how devastating it would be. That said, the frustration he’s dealing with has become very noticeable this season, and it may be taking a negative toll on the Oilers room.
McDavid Hasn’t Looked Like He’s Having Fun
This season, it’s been very clear that McDavid has chosen to take an all-business approach. One can hardly blame him, as the only thing he’s wanting to do at this point in his career is hoist the Stanley Cup. Until he’s able to do so, that approach could wind up remaining the exact same.
Though he’s never had the most outgoing personality, fans have absolutely seen McDavid show some emotion after big goals in his career. Whether it’s a highlight reel, or perhaps a late-game tally to tie things up, we have seen the superstar smile and appear to be having fun playing the game he’s so great at. This season, it’s been far different.
Whether the Oilers are up or down in a game, McDavid’s facial expression looks blank. That was the case on Tuesday night against the Utah Mammoth, where, despite scoring a beauty to give his team a 3-2 lead, he was stone-faced while his teammates skated up to congratulate him. It was a strong reminder as to just how serious he’s taking things right now.
While taking things seriously is never a bad thing, one can’t help but wonder if McDavid’s stern approach this season has worn on his teammates. The good news in that regard is that the league’s best player finally did express some positive emotion on Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Upbeat McDavid Can Loosen Up Oilers Room
Thursday night was a massive game for the Oilers, and they came out on top. McDavid did his part with three points, though it was Evan Bouchard who sealed the deal with an overtime winner. What was even better than the win was the massive smile that crossed McDavid’s face.
Immediately after Bouchard’s goal, McDavid was spotted by cameras grinning ear to ear as he went to congratulate the offensively gifted blueliner. It may not seem like much, but it was truly one of the first times he’s shown any sort of positive emotion this season.
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Over an 82-game stretch, however, that can get very tiring. Having some laughs along the way is important, and is why McDavid needs to do his best moving forward to lighten things up a touch. Thursday night was a great start, and could help the Oilers really get things going in this final stretch of the regular season.
