‘The Oilers are lucky to have 97’: Button on McDavid’s performance in Oilers’ comeback win

Now, Luke and I are joined by our director of scouting, Craig Button. Craig, I got Luke here. What do you think? Uh-oh. I think it’s great. Highlight of the night from Luke Wilson. Silky tow drag. I’ve never heard that on a broadcast. I love it. We’re going to incorporate that into the show a little more often. I think Yeah, Luke was blown away by that. Two things though. What? Talk to me. Talk to me. Yeah. Two things. Two things. Like McDavid says, “Yeah, you know what? Uh, you know, we got a little bit lucky.” No, the Oilers are lucky to have 97. And Luke, you were talking about it as you’re going through the the highlights. This is the NHL. He skates by guys like he’s playing like against 14y olds and it’s the NHL. I I I know how great he is. I don’t think I give him enough credit for being greatness. There’s only one reason New Orleans won this game. It’s because of 97. They were mediocre for pretty much the whole game. And 97 says, “Okay, I’ll dig you out of a hole.” I don’t know how many people remember Houdini. 97 is the Oilers Houdini. He He unshackles them from their mediocrity and allows them to win games they have no right to win. And the bottom line is is when you had the greatest player playing hockey, you can find a way to win games that you don’t deserve to win. And his brilliance, even on that short-handed goal that tied it up, he just kept skating and forcing a mistake and forcing a mistake. Yeah, they get a lucky break, but at the bottom line is is McDavid was relentless in trying to force that mistake. It happens. The Oilers find a way to win a game. Luke, you want to ask Craig something? Yeah, I do. Craig, you know, if you’re Conor McDavid, put yourself in a shoot in his skates for a second, not shoes. You think he just gets wildly annoyed? Like after he scored the second goal, I’m looking at his facial expression. It’s like, get this guy some help. What’s going on here? He’s the best player in the world. Do you think he gets annoyed by having to do this? You said be Houdini every night. I I do think Luke he does because he he’s got a fire burning in him to win. He’s got a fire that says I’m not going to let my team lose. And we saw it in this game. It was it was there. It was obvious to everybody. And when we think about what he’s done with his contract, and I know that’s going to kick in more next year when the cap goes up and the contracts expire, but for for Conor McDavid to look around and think that this team is capable of winning a Stanley Cup, the players always know, Luke, and they always know first and Conor McDavid knows. So whether it’s being annoyed, whether it’s being, hey, help me. Bottom line is the Oilers have something special and this is on management to reinforce this team with a lot better players. Craig, the Oilers have had poor starts the last two seasons, like almost disastrous starts. They have pretty much an identical record to last season’s start, but does this team, the way they’re playing, the way they’re constructed, feel different than last year’s poor start? It It looks different. It It plays different. It smells different. And I I don’t think they’re good enough to go uh deep into the playoffs. And you you watch what McDavid and Dryid’ll do for this team. Literally, I I I I say it again and again and again, they are great players, and I’m not so sure I give them enough credit for being as great as they are, for bringing the team to to to to the progression and to the points that they do Stanley Cup final. But this team is not good enough to go to the Stanley Cup final. When I say mediocre, they are a mediocre team in this game. Like, you watch the way they play defense. I mean, defense, I mean, they treat it like it’s a four-letter word. It’s like they don’t want to touch the thing, right? Like, you know, and they’re they’re they’re right the the they’re bottom team in defensive play. You know, they’re five on five play hasn’t been great. So, yeah. No, I’m not buying that. Oh, they started slow the last two years. They’re going to find their way. I I don’t see it. I don’t think as constructed they’re anywhere near a team capable of winning a Stanley Cup. I’m talking not anywhere near capable of winning a Stanley Cup. I guess the only positive the Oilers now head east on like a seven game road trip. Like if you’re gonna bond as a team and maybe it was like it when you played on the Seahawks and you go on the roads is get away from the distractions at home, right? Yeah. Maybe maybe they have a big bender. Maybe they just have a big bender in Philly. I’m just saying. Hey hey hey Jay, let me just tell you this. Let me just say this. Look, Luke, when they went on the road, they had good teams that bonded. You don’t want to mediocre teams don’t bond. You want to break away mediocre teams and get them a stronger player. That is the worst when you when you’re just kind of sick of your own team. This was me in Detroit. And you’re like, I can’t wait to not see any of these guys. And they feel the same about me. Trust me. Hopefully the others don’t feel that way about each other this early in the season. Craig Button, you are great. Luke, you are great.

What do you make of the Oilers comeback victory? Does this season feel different to you than Edmonton’s last two seasons? Jay Onrait is joined by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button to get his thoughts.

33 comments

  2. "There's no way they are going to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs four games," said Button on Sportscentre. "I don't think they can even beat the Toronto Maple Leafs one game."

    🤡🍻 🤡🍻 🤡🍻

  10. They don’t deserve him as any team that has a generational player on their roster should be doing everything to win the cup and the Oilers just aren’t doing that

  11. Finally….a sports writer who tells the truth. They are not even close to a team who's gonna be a team in the finals. So true, ppl can loom 8n the oast all they want it's the oast and if anyone know hockey you can see it in the performance on ice, they are not as good as they were last two seasons and it shows. If you think Skinner had issues last year well you wait to see this year.

  17. When McDavids contract ends in 3 years I hope the fans thank him for his effort and send him on his way with Parades and Cheers and appreciation. Sad day for me when I completely agree with Craig Button…

  21. Breaking News! Connor McDavid is the best player in the world and wins hockey games for his team! Shocking! How could this happen? Why would he want to do this?

  23. Th Oilers have been bad, no doubt. But to say they cant win the Cup 17 games into the season is an absurd level of stupid. If the playoffs started next week he would be right but not even 1/4th of the way thru the regular season. Ive heard it all today….

  26. You're right on the button, Button!! I have been saying for years that the Edmonton Oilers really aren't a very good hockey team, emphasis on TEAM! The team has 2 superstars and a bunch of over-priced journeymen!! The biggest hurdle for the Oilers is that nobody really wants to play there, especially the young guys!! Most of the players they have are OK players but way beyond their times, and Edmonton takes them, because No.1, the player is just happy to have an NHL contract, No.2, Edmonton get them cheap!! The problem is, to keep young guys, you have to pay them ridiculous money and contracts, otherwise they're going to leave!! Example, Nurse, Draisityl, Hyman, Bouchard, Skinner, etc. I believe McDavid took the cheap contract to make him super easy to trade next year, cause he wants out. As far as this year, you're right , the Oilers don't have the team to compete for a Cup!! Not a chance!! If McDavid has to work this hard, 20 games into the season, by game 50 he's done!!

  29. Button said the same thing last year around the same time. Let's see if he says the same thing that he did last year about a month later where he says the Oilers are going to win the cup. I am going to start calling him roller coaster button because he just sees what's in front of him that day. It's pretty easy to analyze the present. I can do that too.

  33. All these Oilers fans triggered at Button saying that their team doesn't know how to play defense. Nurse & Bouchard are trash. Stop being delusional, Oilers fans.

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