Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
I talk to Oiler fans and they're convinced he's saving himself for the playoffs, but in my experience thats not really how it works.
I kind of wonder if the minutes are finally catching up and he's running out of gas.
|
I also think teams are being more careful about how they play him. It has to be written in big letters on the board before a game against the oilers: “STAY OUT OF THE BOX”. If you do that, the oilers are middling team at best. So they probably clutch and grab a little less and instead try to angle him. That combined with the refs hopefully getting tired of his whining and diving over the years leads to fewer McPowerplays and fewer McPowerplay points.
Oilers complaining about him not getting the calls as much… the proportion of his scoring that is even strength has gone up the last few years. I think that could mean teams playing him passively to avoid getting penalties are sometimes more vulnerable to him 5-on-5 than if they play too aggressive and get called for penalties. So he’s likely getting that benefit that helps his even strength scoring.
All of it is so ridiculous that so many on Sportsnet are trying to make McDavid the victim in all of this. He cross checked a guy in the face.
Chris Johnston was actively arguing on his podcast that McDavid should get special treatment because he’s a superstar. That it’s a business and they should want to have guys like him in the games and the rules should bend towards that.